Role of Le Fort type I osteotomy approach in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma

Le Fort type I osteotomy is a fracture that extends from the pyriform aperture to each of the pterygoid plates, resulting in the detachment of the upper jaw from the cranial base. A retrospective study was conducted on 12 patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) who underwent the Le Fort type I approach. Preoperatively, all cases were investigated with computed tomographic scans with contrast and angiography with embolisation. This paper highlights the surgical technique, results and treatment morbidity. The average age of the patients was 21 years, average duration of surgery was 3.2 h and average blood loss was 550 ml. All cases had significant symptomatic improvement postoperatively. At 1 year follow up, the authors encountered dental malocclusion in one case and no recurrence of JNA. The Le Fort I osteotomy approach is an excellent approach for the excision of JNA because it allows good surgical exposure, better haemostasis, is cosmetically more acceptable and has a very low morbidity.