Detection of the source of hemorrhage using postmortem computerized tomographic angiography in a case of a giant juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma after surgical treatment.

Objective: Postmortem computerized tomographic angiography (PMCTA) has been increasingly used in forensic medicine to detect and locate the source of bleeding in cases of fatal acute hemorrhage. In this paper, we report a case of postoperative complication in a patient with a giant juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma in which the source of bleeding was detected by PMCTA.

Methods: A case description and evaluations of the pre- and postoperative exams, postmortem CT angiogram, and conventional autopsy results are provided.

Results: The source of bleeding was identified by postmortem CT angiography but not by conventional autopsy. The established protocol, injecting contrast medium into the femoral artery, was effective in identifying the source of bleeding.

Conclusions: Postoperative bleeding is a rare and frequently fatal complication of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. As a complement to conventional autopsy, postmortem angiography is a valuable tool for the detection of lethal acute hemorrhagic foci, and establishing a routine procedure for PMCTA may improve its efficiency.