Abstract
Background: Carotid body tumour (CBT) is a rare neoplasm, yet it is the commonest head and neck paraganglioma. In Iraq, relevant literature is sparse. Herein, we present our second case series. Methodology: Patients with CBTs that were operated upon in the Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Baghdad Medical City from 2010 to 2014 were enrolled. History and examination were followed by a workup of duplex ultrasonography, CT scan, magnetic resonance imaging, CT or conventional carotid angiography. Surgical exploration via a standard anterolateral cervical incision and subadventitial dissection was used to resect the tumours with preservation of carotid arteries. Intra-luminal carotid shunts and vein grafts were prepared to be used if necessary. Results: There were 5 males and 2 females aging 17 - 46 with a mean of 32.9 ± 9.8 year. All patients had slowly growing painless pulsatile swelling below mandiblular angle for long durations (1 - 25 years) and a positive Fontaine’s sign. All tumours were benign, unilateral (right n = 4, left n = 3) and ranging in size from 3 × 3 cm to 6.4 × 3.2 cm. Beside US neck exam, carotid angiography was done in 5 patients. According to Shamblin classification, 4 were class II, 2 class I and 1 class III. All tumours were successfully resected with preservation of ICA. However, the ECA was safely ligated twice due to severe involvement. Tongue deviation occurred once (14.3%) but no patient died and none had stroke or recurrence. Conclusions: Our results of surgery for CBT compare very well with the international standards.
Highlights
The carotid body (CB), described for the first time by Albrecht Von Haller in 1743 [1] is a small structure 12 mg in weight [2] located in the adventitia of carotid bifurcation serving as a chemoreceptor [2]
A rare highly vascular mostly benign tumour may arise from the CB paraganglia previously known as chemodectoma or CB paraganglioma [3]
Carotid angiography was done in 5 patients (Conventional carotid angiography n = 2 and CT angiography n = 3)
Summary
The carotid body (CB), described for the first time by Albrecht Von Haller in 1743 [1] is a small structure 12 mg in weight [2] located in the adventitia of carotid bifurcation serving as a chemoreceptor [2]. A rare highly vascular mostly benign tumour may arise from the CB paraganglia previously known as chemodectoma or CB paraganglioma [3]. Carotid body tumour is the commonest head and neck paraganglioma [1]. Carotid body tumour (CBT) is a rare neoplasm, yet it is the commonest head and neck paraganglioma. Surgical exploration via a standard anterolateral cervical incision and subadventitial dissection was used to resect the tumours with preservation of carotid arteries. Conclusions: Our results of surgery for CBT compare very well with the international standards
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