Cervical paragangliomas. Comparison of current results with historical series

Abstract

Background: cervical paragangliomas are very rare tumours and receive different names according to the site of origin. Carotid for those localized in the carotid bifurcation, tympanic for those in the middle ear, yugular for those in the yugular bulb and vagal for those in the vagal nerve.
Setting: tertiary care oncologic public hospita.
Population: 26 patients, 22 of them surgically treated. Mean age was 48.6 years, 77% female.
Methods: review of clinical records and pathologic reports.
Results: twelve were at the left side, 11 at the right, 2 bilateral and 1 multiple. Diagnosis was done by semiology, magnetic resonance and computed tomography. The tumors were classified according to Shamblin classification in 1, 2 grades in 16 patients and 3 in 10. Surgery included tumor resection with vascular graft in 2, XI and XII craneal nerve also in 2, while 4 patients remained in observation because they were asymptomatic. Morbidity was 22.7%, sequels 31.8% and mortality 4.5%, different to the historic series with 44.4%, 55.5% and 5.4% respectively.
Conclusions: tumors of carotid body are infrequent, benign and of slow growth. Diagnostic techniques frequently used were ecodopler, CT scan and MRI, with positive results in about 100% of cases. It was different to historic series in which angiographic studies had positive results in only 70% of them.