[Surgical treatment of chemodectomas of the neck (author's transl)].

About 16 cases of chemodectomas of the neck, with surgical management during the five past years, the authors present an actualisation about surgery of these tumors of the paraganglionnary system at the level of the neck. After recording the different means of the diagnosis, particulary carotid arteriography, they insist about the necessity of a complete excision of these tumors because of local risks due to the neurovascular compression and infiltration, and because of general risks due to malignant metastasis. Three major risks run with surgery in these cases: hemorrhagic, neurologic, and vascular risks (because of the possible extension to the carotidian axis). 14 total excisions and 1 incomplete excision were performed; 1 no-operated tumor was noted because of the death of the patient before surgery due to a metastatis paraplegia. 4 resections of the carotidian axis with 1 repair by end to end anastomosis and 3 by a vein graft were necessary. No mortality after surgery in these patients was encountered. No recurence, no metastatic phenomen in our patients after the total excision of the primary chemodectoma of the neck even for one histologically maligant tumor, three years ago.