Carotid body tumor surgery: management and outcomes in the nation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of carotid reconstruction (REC) and pre-operative embolization (EMB) for Carotid Body Tumor (CBT) surgery.


METHODS
Retrospective study utilizing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002-2006).


RESULTS
2117 patients (mean age 56.5 +/- 17.2 years) underwent CBT surgery: 1686 excision alone (EX); 129 excision with embolization (EX+EMB); and 302 excision with carotid artery reconstruction (EX+REC). EX+REC compared to EX had greater rates of mortality (1.61%vs.0.59%; P =.0495), stroke (17.7% vs. 3.5%; P < .0002), and postoperative hemorrhage (43.1% vs. 2.4%; P < 0.002). EX+EMB did not demonstrate increased mortality or stroke compared to EX and the rate of postoperative hematoma was similar between groups (P = .3144).


CONCLUSIONS
CBT resection is a relatively rare procedure and when combined with EMB was more expensive, but was associated with significantly fewer complications and decreased blood product utilization. These data suggest that CBT surgery requiring carotid reconstruction carries significant morbidity and that EMB as an adjunctive tool was beneficial for CBT surgery outcomes.
Vogel
Todd R
TR
Division of Vascular Surgery, The Surgical Outcomes Research Group, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey. tvogel@excite.com
Mousa
Albeir Y
AY
Dombrovskiy
Viktor Y
VY
Haser
Paul B
PB
Graham
Alan M
AM
D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D002345:Carotid Body Tumor / Q000601:surgery*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome