Carotid body tumors, inheritance, and a high incidence of associated cervical paragangliomas.
BACKGROUND
Current experience with carotid body tumors suggesting a high prevalence of associated cervical paragangliomas prompted this review.


METHODS
An 8-year retrospective study of patients with carotid body tumors was undertaken, detailing presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.


RESULTS
Eleven patients harboring 17 carotid body tumors were discovered. All patients had a neck mass. Seven patients (64%) had bilateral carotid body tumors. Six (55%) reported a positive family history-4 were first-generation relatives, 5 had bilateral tumors, and 3 had other head and neck paragangliomas. Angiography documented 4 associated vagal and 2 glomus jugulare paragangliomas in addition to the carotid body tumors. Precise surgical care limited blood loss to an average of 590 cc. The carotid artery was repaired during 5 resections (29%). Cranial nerve injury occurred in 3 cases, all following vagal body or glomus jugulare resection. Every patient is currently alive, stroke free, and functioning without major disability.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with carotid body tumors have a propensity for multiple head and neck paragangliomas. Angiography is diagnostic. The need for associated paraganglioma resection dramatically increases the risk of cranial nerve injury.
Gardner
P
P
Department of Surgery, Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis 46202, USA.
Dalsing
M
M
Weisberger
E
E
Sawchuk
A
A
Miyamoto
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography; D002345:Carotid Body Tumor / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D010375:Pedigree; D016896:Treatment Outcome