Current concepts in the management of carotid body tumours.

OBJECTIVE To review the current management of carotid body tumours and examine our own experience at the Singapore General Hospital. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Case note review of patients treated by the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Singapore General Hospital over a period of nine years from January 1999 to December 2007. RESULTS There were a total of ten patients. Eight patients underwent surgery with no mortality or major surgical morbidity. Mean follow-up was 3 years and 5 months with no evidence of recurrence. One patient had bilateral tumours and is under surveillance. The last patient had inoperable disease and received radiotherapy. CONCLUSION Our series has shown that carotid body tumours can be safely removed surgically. If the internal carotid artery needs to be resected, we prefer the use of a Pruitt-Inahara shunt. Radiotherapy is reserved for large inoperable cases or patients not fit for surgery.