title: Advances in assessment and management of carotid body tumors.
abstract: Evolving technology has the potential to alter the overall management of carotid body tumors (CBTs). We review our 35-year experience emphasizing on novel modalities available in the evaluation and treatment of CBTs. Medical records of 27 CBT patients between 1975 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. The study cohort has been arbitrarily divided into two groups: the early years' group A (18 patients, 1975-1998) and the later years' group B (9 patients, 1999-2009). The most common presenting symptom was a painless lateral neck mass (89%). Octreotide scintigraphy and genetic testing were routinely used for group B. In two cases, octreotide scintigraphy was coupled with intraoperative radiolocalization of the lesion. Preoperative embolization was performed in four CBTs. Among group B patients, five were pretreated via a covered stent placement in the external carotid artery (ECA). Twenty-three patients (24 CBTs) were eventually operated upon. One cardiovascular death, one permanent vocal cord paralysis and six transient cranial nerve injuries account for a 4.4% 30-day mortality and a 30.4% morbidity with no significant differences among groups. In conclusion, appropriate use of new techniques in CBT management has improved diagnostic accuracy and early detection without clearly affecting overall outcome in our study cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, Athens Medical School, Chaidari, Athens, Greece. efavgerinos@gmail.com
authors.forename: Efthimios D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Avgerinos
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moulakakis
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brountzos
authors.forename: Triantafillos G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Giannakopoulos
authors.forename: Andreas M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lazaris
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koumarianou
authors.forename: Xenia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Geronikola-Trapali
authors.forename: Nikolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ptohis
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papapetrou
authors.forename: Christos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Liapis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D002345:Carotid Body Tumor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015282:Octreotide; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000639:trends; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000639:trends*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000639:trends*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D015282:Octreotide