[Chemodectomas of the glomus caroticum]

The authors review the nature, biological evolution, diagnosis and treatment of carotid body tumors both on the basis of data reported in the literature and in the light of their own experience with a population of 11 carotid body chemodectomas. All patients (except one) were subjected to total resection of the neoplasm. In one case, surgery was confined to a partial resection. Operative mortality was nil, and complications consisted in one case of Claude-Bernard-Horner syndrome, one lesion of the XII cranial nerve and one lesion of the X cranial nerve. Follow-up of the patients (min. 6 months, max. 10 years) has shown no recurrences or metastases.