Carotid Body Tumor: Experience at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Pakistan
Author(s): Zafar Mahmood*, Zubair Anwar, Ahmad Nawaz Ahmad, S.M Hammad Raza, Asif Ali Arain, Sohail Tirmizi and Aqsa Mukhtar
Abstract
Introduction: To assess the clinical and pathological characteristics associated with the carotid body tumor in Pakistani population. Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted in the ENT and Head and Neck Surgery department, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Medical records of patients with carotid body tumor from 2000 to 2008 were retrieved after taking ethical approval. The sampling technique was non probability convenient. Results: During this duration a total of 16 patients with symptoms consistent with a carotid body tumor were admitted. 10 (62.5%) were female and six (37.5%) were male. Mean age (SD) was 42 (10.9) years. All patients have unilateral tumors. 12 (75%) patients had tumors on the right side while 4 (25%) patients had it on the left side. On MRI four (25%) patients were reported as Shamblin I, six (37.5%) as Shamblin type II and six (37.5%) as Shamblin type III. Preoperatively there was no neurological deficit associated with carotid body tumor. Embolization was not preferred because of sub adventitial dissection. Internal carotid artery was damaged in four (25%) cases which was repaired with 6/0 proline by vascular surgeon. There was no cerebral damage postoperatively after applying a bulldog clamp on the common carotid artery for 45 min. Conclusion: Carotid body tumors are slow growing and benign. The keys to successful surgery are careful preoperative planning, proximal and distal control of the vasculature with vessel loops, careful identification and preservation of neural structures.