Diagnosis and surgical treatment of carotid body tumors in 70 patients / 中华普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate diagnosis and surgical treatment of carotid body tumors.Methods It was retrospectively reviewed that the diagnostic approaches, surgical operation methods and its related complications in 70 carotid body tumor cases treated in our hospital from May 1986 to May 2008.Results Diagnosis was established by computer tomography angiography (CTA) or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Surgical excision was successfully performed in 63 cases with 72 tumours. There were no postoperative deaths. Two cases developed hemiplegia following surgery. Temporary cranial nerve palsy occurred in 17 cases while permanent nerve palsy occurred in 4 cases. Sixty-two cases were followed-up from 6 months to 5 years. There were no deaths in operative cases, with local tumor recurrence in 2 cases and 3 cases died due to remote metastasis. Conclusion CTA or MRA is sufficient for the diagnosis and preoperative assessment of carotid body tumor and its related structures. Surgical modality should be adjusted according to the relationship between the tumor and the carotid artery. Full exposure of the surgical area,careful control of intraoperative bleeding and persistent maintainance of blood flow to the brain are important measures for successful surgery.