OBJECTIVE

To evaluate our results of the treatment of patients with carotid body tumours.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

University hospital, Greece.

SUBJECTS

17 patients operated on for a carotid body tumour during the past 20 years.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Hospital mortality and morbidity, long-term outcome.

RESULTS

3 patients had temporary cranial nerve lesions postoperatively, all of which resolved within three months. One patient developed a severe stroke and died seven days postoperatively. During follow-up that ranged from 7 months to 20 years, two patients died of unrelated causes. 5 patients were lost to follow up, and the remaining 10 were doing well with no signs of recurrence at the time of writing.

CONCLUSION

Excision of a carotid body tumour is recommended at the time of initial diagnosis in good-risk patients to avoid the difficulty of subsequent excision of an enlarging and highly vascular tumour with possible encasement of the carotid artery.