Angiomyolipoma of the nasal cavity: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

An unusual localization of intranasal angiomyolipoma is described in an adult male patient with no signs of tuberous sclerosis. The lesion was composed of mature fat cells, vascular spaces with lack of elastic tissue, and presence of bundles of mature smooth muscle cells. Antibodies to intermediate filaments revealed presence of vimentin and absence of desmin in both smooth muscle bundles and in vessel walls. A review of the literature has shown that this is only the third reported case of the angiomyolipoma of the nasal cavity, and some important differences between this entity and renal angiomyolipoma are described.