[Selective embolization for surgical treatment of carotid body tumor].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the value of carotid arteriography and selective embolization in surgical treatment of carotid body tumor.


METHODS
Seven patients with carotid body tumor were operated, and four patients were performed with carotid arteriography and selective embolization before operation. All patients were treated by stripping the carotid body tumor from the carotid artery. Treatment effectiveness of the patients with and without selective embolization were compared.


RESULTS
Seven cases were classified as Shamblin III type. The CT scan and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed the tumor lesion in the carotid bifurcation, and the tumor and its relation with the surrounding arteries were expressed by CT and three dimensional CT images. All cases of carotid body tumor were resected without any carotid artery ligation. No serious complications occurred after operation. There was average 160 mL blood loss in operation of four patients that had angiograms and were preoperatively embolized, and average 2.5 h were expended. There was average 600 mL blood loss in operation of three patients without preoperatively embolized, and average 4 h were expended. Preoperatively high-selected embolization of the tumor-feeding artery could effectively reduce the intraoperative bleeding. With 1.5-3 years follow-up, none of the carotid body tumor recurred in all the seven cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Carotid arteriography and embolization therapy may decrease blood loss and higher risk for operation in the patients with carotid body tumor.
Hu
Min
M
Dept. of Stomatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Zhang
Li-hai
LH
Yang
Ge
G
Chen
Li-jie
LJ
Zhan
Xiong
X
D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D002345:Carotid Body Tumor / Q000628:therapy*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed