CAROTID BODY TUMOR RESECTION WITH AND WITHOUT PREOPERATIVE EMBOLIZATION: A SINGLE-CENTER CASE SERIES 97andrea.bg@gmail.com

 

CAROTID BODY TUMOR RESECTION WITH AND WITHOUT PREOPERATIVE EMBOLIZATION: A SINGLE-CENTER CASE SERIES

4

Mexico

Oral or Poster

Carotid body tumors (CBTs) appear more frequently in Mexico, likely due to chronic hypoxemia from Mexico City’s high altitude. Although the estimated incidence is 1 in 300,000 per year, many cases likely go undiagnosed. Surgical resection remains the standard treatment, while preoperative embolization has been suggested to reduce vascularity and bleeding. However, evidence is inconclusive, with no randomized trials proving benefits over surgery alone or reducing postoperative complications. This study describes five years of consecutive CBT resections at a single center, assessing bleeding, nerve injuries, and hospital stay to evaluate embolization’s potential advantages.

A retrospective, descriptive case series was conducted at Hospital Ángeles Mocel including all adults treated for CBT between 2019 and 2024. Diagnosis was confirmed by CT, MRI, or ultrasound, and patients were managed either with hybrid treatment (embolization plus surgery) or surgical resection alone, according to Shamblin classification. Demographics, comorbidities, complications, ICU admission, bleeding, and hospital stay were recorded. Continuous variables were expressed as medians and ranges; categorical variables as frequencies and percentages.

Nine patients were included (77.7% women; median age 43). Three underwent embolization. Median blood loss was lower in the hybrid group (220 vs. 320 ml). No nerve injuries occurred. Hospital stay was similar (median: 3 days). Two patients in the surgical-only group required ICU care due to bleeding-related hemodynamic instability, resolving within 24 hours. Median follow-up was 12 months.

Preoperative embolization may reduce intraoperative bleeding, but larger prospective studies are required to determine its true clinical impact.