The carotid body--a quantitative assessment in children.

The volume of the glomic tissue in the carotid bodies of 100 infants between the ages of 29 weeks gestation and 9 1/2 years has been determined by serial sections and point counting. There is a 10-fold variation in the size of the carotid body and the volume of glomic tissue at all ages studied. Forty of the infants died as unexpected deaths at home. No increase in size of the carotid body is apparent in the majority of these deaths but there is a probability that enlargement occurs in some children dying at the age of one year or older. Ranges of values and means are presented for the carotid body glomic tissue volume from birth to 9 1/2 years.