Impact of preoperative embolization on the outcomes of carotid body tumor surgery: A meta-analysis and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND There is no consensus on the impact of preoperative embolization (EMB) on the surgical outcomes of carotid body tumor (CBT) resections. METHODS A systematic review and a meta-analysis were conducted to clarify the role of preoperative EMB in patients undergoing surgical removal of CBTs. RESULTS Fifteen studies with a total number of 470 patients met the inclusion criteria. The results of the meta-analysis showed that there is no significant difference in estimated blood loss, operative time, length of hospital stay, or risks of cranial nerve injury, vascular injury, and stroke between the EMB and nonembolization (NEMB) groups. CONCLUSION This systemic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that preoperative EMB does not confer any operative or postoperative advantage in patients scheduled for CBT surgery. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2386-E2394, 2016.