NORADRENERGIC INNERVATION OF JUVENILE NASOPHARYNGEAL ANGIOFIBROMA

The glyoxylic catecholaminergic histofluorescence method was employed on tissues from five cases of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma in order to study the sympathetic innervation present. There was no sympa thetic innervation identified in tumor parenchyma while some scant nor adrenergic fibers were found in the tumor border. These findings indic ate that keeping a dissection surface out of tumor during planned exci sions may be very important, as vessels there have more sympathetic in nervation which will then result in good vessel contraction in control ling bleeding. Non-diseased nasal mucosa from each patient was used as control tissue, with its submucosa seen to be filled with noradrenerg ic innervation. Some noradrenergic fibers were also found to innervate the muscle layers of arterioles or venules adjacent to the sphenopala tine foramen.