Carotid Body Tumor Presentation, Management, and Outcome an Institutional Experience – 12-Year Experience

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the presentation and treatment modalities of carotid body tumor (CBT) and evaluate the outcomes and complications of surgical treatment of CBT. Methodology: Twenty-seven CBT patients treated surgically from January 2012 to August 2022 were included in the study. Patient presentation, diagnostic modalities, surgical and radiological interventions, outcomes, and complications were analyzed. Results: (1) A total of 27 patients were studied, with an age ranging from 13 to 65 years (median age - 45 years), in which male preponderance was found (male: female = 2.5:1), (2) Local swelling was the most common symptom (n = 27), with other symptoms being hoarseness of voice, dysphagia, and ear/neck pain, (3) Left laterality was found in 76.2% of patients, whereas 17.3% of them were right sided with 6.5% of bilateral cases, (4) 15 patients (55.5%) out of the 27 total patients, were classified in Shamblin’s type II, 8 patients (29.6%) in Shamblin’s type I, and the remaining 4 patients (14.8%) as Shamblin’s type III CBTs, (5) Thirteen (48.1%) patients underwent preoperative angioembolization. All (100%) patients underwent complete excision (6) Operative site hematoma was the most common postoperative complication encountered. All patients are asymptomatic with the minimum of 6-month follow-up. Conclusion: Careful preoperative evaluation, which included appropriate modality for diagnosis, preoperative angioembolization for large tumors, meticulous dissection, and good postoperative care, resulted in complete excision of all the tumors and with less complications postoperatively. Shamblin III had a high risk of postoperative neurovascular complications. Therefore, early detection and prompt surgical resection of CBTs will decrease surgical morbidity.