Diagnosis and surgical treatment of carotid body tumor: A retrospective analysis of 58 patients

[To introduce a new method of resection of carotid body tumor with preservation of the internal carotid artery ----microscopic coagulation method]

Objective:To introduce the surgical experience of carotid body tumor（CBT） resection with preservation of internal carotid artery. Methods:The clinical data of 109 patients with CBT were retrospectively analyzed. The key points of surgical techniques were summarized, the imaging and pathological results were comprehensively analyzed, and the postoperative complications were observed. Results:Of the 109 patients, 28 were Shamblin Ⅰ, 46 were Shamblin Ⅱ, and 35 were Shamblin Ⅲ. Synaptophysin（SYN） and soluble protein-100（S-100） were positive in all cases. There was a positive correlation between the average expression area percentage of S-100 and SYN in pathological tissue of 17 patients（r=0.48）, and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.05）. The average operation time was（148.4±46.2） minutes, the average intraoperative blood loss was（64.7±22.8） mL, and the average hospital stay was（15.2±2.6） days. Three patients underwent tumor resection combined with external carotid artery ligation, 1 patient underwent tumor resection combined with internal carotid artery ligation, and the remaining patients underwent tumor resection alone. The overall rate of intraoperative vascular ligation was 3.7% and the rate of nerve injury was 6.4%. According to preoperative CTA, intraoperative situation and postoperative pathological results, a new classification of CBT was proposed, which could intuitively reflect the gap between the tumor and the carotid artery and the nature of the tumor. Conclusion:Surgical resection of CBT is recommended after diagnosis. The potential gap between the tumor and the blood vessels was found under the microscope. Low energy bipolar electrocoagulation was used to coagulate and cut off the fibrous connective tissue between the tumor and gradually separated along the adventitia of the artery. The carotid artery could be preserved in most cases while the tumor was completely removed, and the amount of intraoperative bleeding and the incidence of complications were reduced. It is particularly important to identify the difficult cases before operation.

Prevalence, characteristics, evaluation, and management of carotid body tumors: Systematic analysis based on available evidence

OBJECTIVE

Although carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare, they attract particular attention because of their propensity for malignant transformation and the high surgical risk. Because data are scarce and as it is difficult to achieve a large sample size, no study has yet comprehensively analyzed the characteristics, management, or operative complications of CBTs. Therefore, we collected and analyzed all currently available information on CBTs and used the pooled data to derive quantitative information on disease characteristics and management.

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science up to December 1, 2022, for studies that investigated the characteristics and management of CBTs. The primary objective was to identify the prevalence of the various characteristics and the incidence of complications. The secondary objective was to compare patients who underwent preoperative embolization (PE) and those who did not (non-PE), as well as to compare patients with different Shamblin grades and those with and without succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) mutations in terms of CBT characteristics and complications. Two reviewers selected studies for inclusion and independently extracted data. All statistical analyses were performed using the standard statistical procedures of Review Manager 5.2 and Stata 12.0.

RESULTS

A total of 155 studies with 9291 patients and 9862 tumors were identified. The pooled results indicated that the median age of patients with CBT was 45.72 years, and 65% were female. The proportion of patients with bilateral lesions was 13%. In addition, 16% of patients had relevant family histories, and the proportion of those with SDH gene mutations was 36%. Sixteen percent of patients experienced multiple paragangliomas, and 12% of CBTs had catecholamine function. The incidence of cranial nerve injury (CNI) was 27%, and 14% of patients suffered from permanent CNI. The incidence rates of operative mortality and stroke were both 1%, and 4% of patients developed transient ischemic attacks. Of all CBTs, 6% were malignant or associated with metastases or recurrences. The most common metastatic locations were the lymph nodes (3%) and bone (3%), followed by the lungs (2%). Compared with non-PE, PE reduced the estimated blood loss (standardized mean difference, -0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.70 to -0.20) and the operation time (standardized mean difference, -0.56; 95% CI, -1.03 to -0.09), but it increased the incidence of stroke (odds ratio, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.04-5.73). Higher Shamblin grade tumors were associated with more operative complications. Patients who were SDH gene mutation-positive were more likely to have a relevant family history and had more symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

CBT was most common in middle-aged females, and early surgical resection was feasible; there was a low incidence of serious operative complications. Routine PE is not recommended because this may increase the incidence of stroke, although PE somewhat reduced the estimated blood loss and operation time. Higher Shamblin grade tumors increased the incidence of operative complications. Patients who were SDH gene mutation-positive had the most relevant family histories and symptoms.

Multiparametric analysis of carotid body tumours: a pictorial essay

Carotid body tumours (CBT), also called carotid body paraganglioma, are highly vascular and histologically portray paraganglion cells. They are typically found at the carotid bifurcation and result in the splaying of the internal and external carotid arteries (ICA and ECA). Recent literature supports the role of chronic hypoxia in the etiology of CBT. This pictorial essay discusses how CBT is an uncommon etiology for common clinical problems such as transient ischemic attacks. It also discusses imaging techniques to precisely map out the tumour for surgical resection using advanced imaging modalities and techniques.

Multidisciplinary management of carotid body tumors: a single-institution case series of 22 patients

OBJECTIVE

Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare, slow-growing neoplasms derived from the parasympathetic paraganglia of the carotid bodies. Although inherently vascular lesions, the role of preoperative embolization prior to resection remains controversial. In this report, the authors describe an institutional series of patients with CBT successfully treated via resection following preoperative embolization and compare the results in this series to previously reported outcomes in the treatment of CBT.

METHODS

All CBTs resected between 2013 and 2019 at a single institution were retrospectively identified. All patients had undergone preoperative embolization performed by interventional neuroradiologists, and all had been operated on by a combined team of cerebrovascular neurosurgeons and otolaryngology-head and neck surgeons. The clinical, radiographic, endovascular, and perioperative data were collected. All procedural complications were recorded.

RESULTS

Among 22 patients with CBT, 63.6% were female and the median age was 55.5 years at the time of surgery. The most common presenting symptoms included a palpable neck mass (59.1%) and voice changes (22.7%). The average tumor volume was 15.01 ± 14.41 cm3. Most of the CBTs were Shamblin group 2 (95.5%). Blood was predominantly supplied from branches of the ascending pharyngeal artery, with an average of 2 vascular pedicles (range 1-4). Fifty percent of the tumors were embolized with more than one material: polyvinyl alcohol, 95.5%; Onyx, 50.0%; and N-butyl cyanoacrylate glue, 9.1%. The average reduction in tumor blush following embolization was 83% (range 40%-95%). No embolization procedural complications occurred. All resections were performed within 30 hours of embolization. The average operative time was 173.9 minutes, average estimated blood loss was 151.8 ml, and median length of hospital stay was 4 days. The rate of permanent postoperative complications was 0%; 2 patients experienced transient hoarseness, and 1 patient had medical complications related to alcohol withdrawal.

CONCLUSIONS

This series reveals that endovascular embolization of CBT is a safe and effective technique for tumor devascularization, making preoperative angiography and embolization an important consideration in the management of CBT. Moreover, the successful management of CBT at the authors' institution rests on a multidisciplinary approach whereby endovascular surgeons, neurosurgeons, and ear, nose, and throat-head and neck surgeons work together to optimally manage each patient with CBT.

Carotid Body Tumor: Our Experience with 42 Patients and a Literature Review

To review characteristics, signs, diagnostic methods, and surgical complications in patients with carotid body tumor, in addition to a literature review. This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 42 patients with carotid body tumors referred to Al-Zahra hospital of Isfahan from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2019. The studied characteristics included age at the onset of symptoms, gender, symptoms, duration of symptomatic status before diagnosis, diagnostic methods, pathological outcome, tumor stage, and surgical complications. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 21. In this study, 34 patients (80.96%) were female. The mean age at the onset of symptoms was 54.41 years. The mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 12.55 months. There was no significant difference between genders for the age and duration of symptoms before diagnosis (p > 0.05). Symptoms were mainly painless mass, hoarseness, coughing, earache, tinnitus, and headache. After surgery, two cases of permanent cranial nerve injuries were found. Thirty-nine patients (93%) were diagnosed by ultrasound imaging and CT scan. We had one case of arterial repair. There was one malignant and one functional tumor. According to the results, carotid body tumor is more common in females especially on the right side. Bilateral tumors are prevalent in females. This mass should be removed by surgery at the time of diagnosis in cases where the patient is not at high risk for surgery due to comorbidities, and the risk of complications following surgery is low.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-021-02453-8.

Impact of Preoperative Embolization on Carotid Body Tumor Surgery

OBJECTIVES

In this study, investigation of the effect of preoperative carotid body tumor embolization (CBTE) on the amount of bleeding, vascular and neurological complications in carotid body tumors was aimed.

METHODS

50 patients treated for 51 carotid body tumors in 2 clinics, between 2005 and 2020 were evaluated. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) embolization of the carotid body tumor was performed in 23 patients before the surgical excision. The results were compared with the remaining 28 patients, whom CBTE was not performed, in terms of neurological complications, requirement of additional vascular interventions, bleeding amount, and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS

Mean bleeding amount was significantly lower in CBTE group (406ml-217ml p<0.05). Median erythrocyte suspension (ES) transfusion was significantly lower in the CBTE group (0.3 units vs. 1.1 units, p<0.05). Neurological deficits developed in a total of 13 patients, 6 of whom were in the CBTE group and 7 in the non-CBTE group, in the early postoperative period (p=0.90). No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of additional vascular interventions and length of hospital stay (p=0.79 and p=0.61).

CONCLUSIONS

Carotid body tumors are rarely encountered tumors. However, their surgical excision is challenging for surgeons regarding intraoperative and postoperative bleeding. This study demonstrates that preoperative CBTE significantly reduces the amount of bleeding, especially in Shamblin II/III tumors.

Bilateral Giant Familial Carotid Body Tumors With Concomitant Skull-Base Paraganglioma and Facial Nerve Palsy

Carotid body tumors, rare neck paragangliomas arising from the common carotid artery bifurcation, can be classified as sporadic, hyperplastic, or familial. The familial type is often bilateral and associated with germline mutation of the mitochondrial enzyme succinate dehydrogenase. We report the rare case of a 42-year-old man who presented with bilateral giant familial carotid body tumors associated with a concomitant skull-base paraganglioma, left-sided facial nerve palsy, and an incomplete circle of Willis. We describe the excision of the tumors in 2 stages (the left mass and associated paraganglioma first and the right mass second), 6 months apart, with use of general anesthesia, and we discuss other operative considerations.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for differentiating head and neck paraganglioma and schwannoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Morphological assessment with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences has limited specificity to distinguish between paragangliomas and schwannomas. Assessing the differences in microvascular properties through pharmacokinetic parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI can provide additional information to aid in this differentiation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective study on MR characterization of neck masses was performed between January 2017 and March 2019 in our department, out of which 40 patients with head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) (33 lesions) and schwannomas (15 lesions) were included in this analysis. MR perfusion using dynamic axial T1WI fat suppressed fast spoiled gradient recalled sequence with parallel imaging was performed in all the patients, in addition to single-shot turbo spin-echo axial diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and routine MRI. ROI-based method was used to obtain signal-time curves, permeability measurements, and mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to differentiate paragangliomas from schwannomas. Statistical analysis was done to assess the significance and establish a cutoff to distinguish between the two entities. The available images of DOTANOC PET/CT (34 lesions) were analyzed retrospectively. Correlations between the perfusion, diffusion, and molecular PET/CT parameters were done.

RESULTS

Paragangliomas had a higher wash-in rate, wash-out rate, Ktrans, Kep , and Vp (p < 0.001); while schwannomas had a higher relative enhancement (p < 0.012), time to peak, time of onset, brevity of enhancement, and Ve (p < 0.001). Among the perfusion parameters, Kep (area under curve (AUC) 0.994) and Vp (AUC 0.992) were found to have the highest diagnostic value. In diffusion-weighted imaging, paragangliomas had a lower mean ADC compared to schwannomas (p < 0.001). The SUVmax and SUVmean were significantly associated with Ktrans , Kep , and Vp in paragangliomas.

CONCLUSION

DCE-MRI in addition to DWI-MRI can accurately distinguish HNPGL from schwannoma and may replace the need for any additional imaging and preoperative biopsy in most cases.

Single-center study: dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnostic assessment of carotid body tumors

Background

Carotid body tumors (CBTs) depict the most common paraganglioma of the head and neck that can metastasize in up to 15% of cases. They develop either sporadically or hereditarily and may produce catecholamines ("functioning CBTs") resulting in associated symptoms like headache, palpitations or flush. Non-functioning CBTs usually present as slowly and often tender growing mass which may affect adjacent cranial nerves. CBTs can be visualized by ultrasound, CT, MRI or angiography. Pre-surgical interventional embolization, surgical resection and radiation therapy are therapeutical options. The aim of this retrospective single-center study is to assess the safe and real-time evaluation of CBTs by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods

Ten patients with CBT were included in this study on whom CEUS was performed between 2007-2018 (mean age: 62 years). In 6/10 patients, results were confirmed by MRI, 4/12 patients underwent subsequent angiography. CEUS was performed and interpreted by a single consultant radiologist with experience since 2000 (EFSUMB level 3). VueBox^® software was used for standardized perfusion quantification.

Results

CEUS allowed to detect all CBTs and visualize intratumoral microcirculation. Perfusion quantification was performed in 6/10 cases. CBTs showed significantly reduced peak-enhancement (PE), reduced wash-in perfusion index (WiPI) and significantly elevated time to peak (TTP) compared to common carotid arteries (CCA).

Conclusions

CEUS is a useful and safe tool for identifying CBTs and evaluating intratumoral microperfusion at high spatial and temporal resolutions in real-time. In addition to conventional ultrasound, CT, MRI and digital substraction angiography (DSA), CEUS may be implemented in the future diagnostic work-up and follow-up of CBT patients.

Computed tomography angiography lightbulb sign: Characteristic enhancement pattern on neck computed tomography angiography in differentiating paraganglioma from schwannoma of the carotid space

It is important to correctly distinguish paragangliomas from other tumors such as schwannomas in the preoperative assessment of head and neck tumors because paragangliomas have a propensity to bleed profusely during surgery. Therefore, preoperative embolization is often required while with schwannomas preoperative embolization is generally not required. Occasionally, schwannomas can mimic paragangliomas on routine computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the neck. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the computed tomography angiography of the neck of 10 patients with carotid space tumors. Seven patients had pathologically proven paraganglioma while three patients had schwannomas. We describe the "computed tomography angiography lightbulb sign" as avid homogeneous enhancement in the arterial phase which can accurately distinguish these entities.

Carotid Body Tumor Microenvironment

Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare paragangliomas, comprising 0.5% of all head and neck tumors, and 65% of head and neck paragangliomas. A majority of CBTs occur sporadically, while 15% are familial or hyperplastic in the setting of chronic hypoxia. They usually present as unilateral, well-circumscribed rubbery masses, arising at the level of the carotid bifurcation. A majority of CBTs are painless and therefore may evade diagnosis for months to years. Symptomatic lesions occur due to progressive cranial nerve IX, X, or XII dysfunction, manifesting as hoarseness, dysphagia, vertigo, coughing, or odynophagia. Other local symptoms include neck discomfort, pulsatile tinnitus, hearing loss, or carotid sinus syndrome. Appropriate workup includes a thorough physical exam followed by radiographic imaging, vascular studies, and biochemical workup with 24 h urinary catecholamine or metanephrine analysis. The management of these tumors, which involves standalone surgical resection or following embolization for larger and more vascular tumors, will also be discussed.

Carotid Mycotic Aneurysm associated with Persistent Primitive Hypoglossal Artery. Case Report and Literature Review

Carotid mycotic aneurysm is extremely rare and even more unusual when it is associated with a persistent primitive hypoglossal artery. This artery is the second most common of the embryonic carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomoses. It originates from the cervical internal carotid artery and enters the cranium through a widened hypoglossal canal before anastomosing with the basilar artery. We report a case of an elderly man with a rare Salmonella-induced mycotic aneurysm associated with a persistent primitive hypoglossal artery. Surgical resection of the mycotic aneurysm was complicated by a posterior circulation stroke. To the best of our knowledge, there was no previous report of a carotid mycotic aneurysm associated with a persistent primitive hypoglossal artery thus far in the literature. Owing to the high mortality rate of the carotid mycotic aneurysm, it is imperative to be familiar with the vascular and imaging anatomy prior to surgery particularly in the presence of an embryonic carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomosis. In this report, we highlight the imaging characteristics and treatment options for this rare mycotic aneurysm together with a literature review.