Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma arising in the ethmoid sinus of an 8‐year‐old girl with severe epistaxis

Abstract

Background. Epistaxis is very common during childhood. It occurs primarily in boys and is usually self‐limiting. Trauma and nose picking are among the most common causes. In general, epistaxis can be easily treated with anterior nasal packing or electrocoagulation. Methods. We report a case of an 8‐year‐old girl with severe unilateral epistaxis. Results. The bleeding originated from a kaposiform hemangioendothelioma arising in the left nasal cavity and ethmoid sinus. The feeding vessels originating from the maxillary artery were first embolized. The tumor was then surgically removed through a combined external ethmoidectomy and endonasal approach. The postoperative course was uneventful. MRI at 6 months after surgery showed no tumor recurrence. Conclusions. We report a previously undescribed cause of epistaxis in children, namely, a kaposiform hemangioendothelioma. To our knowledge, this is the first such case in the English‐language literature. The differential diagnosis of severe unilateral nasal bleeding among the pediatric population should include the possibility of a kaposiform hemangioendothelioma. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2006