2004, Number 3
Postoperative neurological morbidity of carotid body tumors
Rascón OM, Luna OK, Lavín LA, Granados GM, Herrera GÁ
Full text
Language: Spanish
References: 12
Page: 181-183
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ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess the neurological complication secondary to the resection of a carotid body tumor (CBT).Setting: Third level health care hospital.
Patients and methods: We performed a retrospective study by reviewing the clinical histories of 72 patients with 75 CBT diagnosed at the National Institute of Cancerology (Mexico, D.F), between January 1982 and February 2004. The studied variables were: gender, age, reason for consultation, time of evolution of the lesion, and neurological damages to cranial pairs after surgery.
Results: Women predominated significantly (95.89%) with a women:men ratio of 23:1. Age ranged from 18 to 94 years (mean = 54,2) The most frequent reason for consultation was a painless mass (79%). None of the patients had a previous malignant tumor or familial history of CBT. Evolution of lesions before diagnosis had a mean time of 50.6 months. Bilateral disease was diagnosed in three patients (4%). Fortyeight patients were included in the post-surgical evaluation study. There were 13 (27%) patients with permanent neurological damage. The most frequently affected nerve was the pneumogastric (n=9). After an average follow-up of 38 months, one patient died due to non-oncological reasons, the remainder patients are asymptomatic and disease free.
Conclusion: The diagnostic and therapeutic relevance of these tumors resides in making an early diagnosis and providing prompt surgical treatment. Eightythree percent of CBT patients seek medical care at advanced stages (Shamblin II and III). The neurological damage continues to be high (27%).
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