[Diagnosis and surgical treatment of the carotid body tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To enhance the cure rate and lower the complication rate and the mortality rate through summarizing the clinical features and experiences in diagnosis and therapy of carotid body tumor (CBT). METHOD: Retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 21 cases (23 sides) of CBT from 1995-2095 occurring in our hospital. RESULT: The accurate diagnosis rates hy using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were 100%. Seventeen cases (19 sides) accepted surgical operation with different kinds of procedures. The tumors of 8 cases were simplex isolated from the carotid artery. Both the tumour and the external carotid artery were resected in 9 cases. One case underwent resection of both the internal and external carotid artery and the tumour without carotid reconstruction. One case underwent resection of the internal, external carotid artery and the tumor with reconstruction of the internal carotid artery. No operative mortality was observed. The ventricular arrhythmia which had not been controlled pre-operation occurred in 1 case who was finally self-cured. One case had hoarseness and completely recovered in one week. and 1 case without carotid reconstruction had a frequent headache and gradually recovered in 5 months. The others had no complications. CONCLUSION: OSA and MRI are the best methods for diagnosing CBT. Surgery is the first choice concerning the treatment of CBT. Accurate preoperative evaluation, correct therapeutic decision exquisite vascular surgical techniques can help to significantly decrease, even avoid the complications.