Efficacy of surgical therapy for carotid body tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of surgical therapy for carotid body tumors.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was conducted, covering the diagnosis, surgical procedure, postoperative complications, and prognosis of 120 cases of carotid body tumors in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1949 to May, 2011.


RESULTS
Surgical excision was successfully performed in 111 cases with 117 tumors. In all those cases, 50 underwent simple tumor resection, 42 underwent resection of tumors and ligation of the external carotid arteries, 7 underwent co-resection of tumors and common carotid arteries, internal carotid arteries, as well as external arteries without vascular reconstruction, and the other 12 cases experienced tumor resection and vascular reconstruction as internal carotid arteries were involved. After operation, 3 cases developed cerebral infarction, 30 cases showed cranial nerve palsy, including 15 cases of hypoglossal nerve damage, 10 cases of vagus paralysis, and 5 cases of Horner's syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
It is essential to make a proper surgical strategy, which can reduce postoperative complications.
Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Lian
L
Li-shan
Liu
L
Chang-wei
Guan
G
Heng
Zheng
Z
Yue-hong
Chen
C
Xing-ming
Li
L
Yong-jun
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002345:Carotid Body Tumor / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies