Carotid body tumors are a unique class of tumors found in the neck. They are not usually cancerous but can grow fast and become large. They are also rarely occurring in about 1 out of 50000 people. The best treatment to remove the tumor is often surgery. However, in rare cases, radiation therapy is also used. These grow slowly and typically seen as painless neck swelling and usually get noticed in the 20–50 age group people. Some of these tumors secrete chemicals which increases blood pressure.
The carotid body tumor treatment is primarily done through surgical excision. A higher grade of tumor increases the risks of cranial nerve injuries, bleeding, infection, and stroke.
Transcatheter Embolization
In the transcatheter embolization procedure, the blood supply to the tumor does reduce. This is done two or three days before the surgery. A catheter is guided through your groin artery into the blood vessels that provide blood to the tumor. After this, medication and/or a blocking device, such as plastic, glue, or a metal coil is used to stop the blood flow to the tumor. This is mostly recommended by some centers when the size of the tumor exceeds 4 cm in size.
Surgical Removal (Resection)
In most situations (60% -70%), the carotid tumor can be removed without requiring any repair or removal of the carotid artery. If the artery requires repairing, then it can be fixed with a simple suture repair. However, in some situations, a more complicated repair is needed, wherein a patch is created on the hole made during the removal of tumour or while replacing a section of the artery with a bypass graft
The imaging tests are done to see the tumor size and its relation to the surrounding structures of the neck. This is done through CT Angiogram or MR angiogram.
Post-treatment, the patient might develop a sore throat with a voice change for a few days to some weeks depending upon the grade of tumor removed and the kind of treatment done.
Their risks associated with the treatment of carotid tumors are very low, and the treatment procedure is usually very safe with positive results. However, some kind of risk is always associated with a surgical process. One of them being stroke particularly for patients with large tumors. The risk of this tumor being cancerous is less than 5%, and the risk of developing another such tumor is also low at 5-10%.
Many professional surgeons can remove the carotid body tumors. However, choosing one of them is often a big decision to make because of such huge concerns about what is at stake. But don’t worry, one of the leading treatment centers for Carotid Body Tumors Treatment & Management is Vascular Centre in Bangalore. Established in 2008, they have a long-committed experience of providing quality treatment at an affordable cost in Bangalore. Don’t get confused or stressed, simply book an appointment at the Vascular center to get the right advice and start your treatment. The professional team of doctors at Vascular India opts for a particular treatment procedure based on an in-depth analysis of every patient’s condition.
The blog lays down the essential details about Carotid Body Tumors treatment & management to help you understand it better if in case you are diagnosed with it. Vascular center surgeons will take special precautions to decrease your risk of complications. These world-class surgeons will give you the best advice and treatment. Make sure that you understand why you need a Carotid Body Tumors treatment, the risks associated with it, and even ask your doctor questions about the same.