A Multidisciplinary Approach to Reducing Morbidity and Operative Blood Loss During Resection of Carotid Body Tumor

Seven carotid body tumors in six patients were successfully managed using a multimodality approach that included the vascular surgeon, head and neck surgeon and angiographer. Five tumors were managed with preoperative subselective embolization of tumor vessels. Two required vascular reconstruction. The mean operative blood loss was 332 milliliters. All of the patients survived, and the only morbidity was one instance of transient vocal cord paresis. Surgical resection remains the treatment of choice for carotid body tumors. After angiographic embolization, a combined surgical approach by both the vascular surgeon and the head and neck surgeon reduces the associated morbidity and blood loss during resection.