Management and Outcomes of Vascular Reconstruction in Carotid Body Tumor Resection: Retrospective Analysis of 60 Cases

Purpose: Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare tumors of the head and neck area. We evaluated outcomes after carotid body tumor resection (CBR) requiring vascular reconstruction.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the patients, who underwent CBR in our clinic. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for clinical data, operative details, Shamblin's classification, complications. Comparisons were performed between those undergoing CBR alone and CBR requiring vascular reconstruction (CBR-VASC).

Results: Of the 60 patients, who underwent CBR, 29 (48.3%) underwent vascular reconstruction after the tumor resection. In patients; who underwent carotid endarterectomy and reconstruction of a kinked carotid artery, the blood flow measurements obtained before and after the vascular reconstruction were significantly different. The blood flow measurement parameters obtained before and after the vascular reconstruction were not significantly different in patients undergoing primary repair surgery, patch graft angioplasty, and the use of reversed saphenous vein graft procedures. The overall complication rate was 25% (n = 60) for at least one perioperative problem (CBR 6.4% vs. CBR-VASC 44.8%, p > 0.05). While most patients with Shamblin's class I and II tumors underwent CBR, CBR-VASC was performed more frequently in patients with Shamblin's class III tumors (p = 0.016). The tumor size ( p = 0.016), the volume of intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.002), and the length of hospital stay (p = 0.006) were significantly different between the two groups. The length of the operation time (p = 0.154) and the volume of the postoperative blood drainage (p = 0.122) were not different between the two groups.

Conclusion: The decision for surgical reconstruction should be made by evaluating the carotid artery blood flow before and after CBR. The type of the reconstruction method does not cause differences in the duration of the surgery and does not elevate the complication rates.