Effective, same-day preoperative embolization and surgical resection of carotid body tumors.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the procedure by analyzing the blood loss and duration of carotid body tumor (CBT) surgery following same-day preoperative embolization.

METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of subjects retrospectively. Fifteen patients with 16 CBTs were enrolled in this study. Our same-day procedure comprises preoperative embolization of the feeding arteries in the morning followed by surgery within 3 hours after the embolization is completed.

RESULTS: The mean operative time and the mean amount of blood loss were 138 minutes and 29.3 mL, respectively. The tumor volume after embolization was markedly reduced and the mean reduction rate was 50%. We found that 13 CBTs had more than three feeding arteries. Almost all the postoperative complications, mainly cranial nerve paralyzes, resolved within months after surgery.

CONCLUSION: Our same-day procedure is a safer and superior alternative to traditional CBT surgery, having good outcomes.