Surgery of vagal paragangliomas: six patients and review of literature.
OBJECTIVE
Vagal paragangliomas (VPs) represent a rare pathology in which surgery is usually recommended, but where experience is crucial to reduce the number of post-operative complications. In this study, we present our experience and a review of the literature.


METHODS
Between 1991 and 2006 we have treated 42 patients with 50 paragangliomas of the head and neck (26 carotid, 18 jugular/tympanic and 6 vagal). Examination of the literature (Medline and non-indexed Spanish source) from the last 30 years has revealed 23 series that each reported more than three cases; reaching a total of 332 VPs.


RESULTS
VPs are infrequent among paragangliomas of the head and neck (6/50) presenting clinical peculiarities such as multiple tumours, and malignant evolution. Within this current series, surgery was possible in all cases. Post-operative dysfunction in cranial nerves was frequent (the cranial X nerve was systematically sacrificed). There were no bronco-aspirations or mortalities. The literature review reveals similar results.


CONCLUSIONS
To obtain the best results, it is important that the candidates for surgery be selected by experts within multidisciplinary groups.
Lozano
Francisco S
FS
Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Salamanca, Spain. lozano@usal.es
Gómez
Juan L
JL
Mondillo
Maria C
MC
González-Porras
José R
JR
González-Sarmiento
Rogelio
R
Muñoz
Angel
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020421:Vagus Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*