Clinical Characteristics and Remedies in 45 Iranians with Carotid Body Tumors

Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare, slow-growing tumors that should be considered in evaluating every lateral neck mass. This single center study was performed to define demographic features, clinical characteristics and remedies of Iranian patients with CBT. A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was done on 45 patients with 50 CBTs who have been referred to Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran, during a 10-year period, were investigated in this study. The demographic characteristics, clinical and pathologic features, imagings, preoperative treatments, surgical approach and complications were analyzed. The study group predominantly consisted of females (82%). Age of diagnosis was 18 to 75 years old. Five patients had bilateral CBT. Family history of CBT was positive in seven patients. Most of CBTs were ≤ 3cm in size. All of the patients presented with a neck mass, mostly without pain (84%). Other symptoms included vertigo 4%, dysphasia 4% and tinnitus 2%. There was no patient with cranial nerve involvement at presentation. The most common imaging helping the diagnosis was color Doppler sonography. Three patients had preoperative embolization. All patients underwent surgery and seven patients had post-operative cranial nerve injury. Nine cases underwent external carotid artery ligation and four ones had external carotid repair. Post operative mortality rate was one patient. This study provides epidemiological data on patients with CBT in Iran, which could be useful for health care workers in prompt diagnosis and appropriate work ups for patient's families in bilateral CBTs.