Objective： To evaluate the clinical application of superselective transcatheter arterial embolization （TAE） in nasopharyngeal angiofibroma before operation. Methods： Superselective angiography was done via femoral. TAE with polyvinyl alcohol particles and/or gelfoam （GF） was performed in 12 patients with nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. All patients underwent surgical removal of devascularized tumors in 3 to 7 days after TAE. Results： During digital subtraction angiography, tumor staining was seen in 12 patients. Embolization of maxillary artery was performed in 12 cases and additional embolization of ascending pharyngeal artery in 8 cases. Conclusion： Superselective angiographic diagnosis, embolization and appropriate embolic particle size are important for successful treatment of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. TAE is safe and effective in decreasing haemorrhage during surgical operation for nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.
