Da Nang: Surgery successfully removes extremely rare carotid body tumor.

DNVN – On the afternoon of October 25th, Da Nang Hospital announced that doctors from its Thoracic Surgery Department had successfully performed surgery on an extremely rare case of right carotid body tumor, with an incidence rate of 1-2 patients per 100,000 people.

Previously, patient Doan XL (born in 1968, residing in Son Tra district, Da Nang city) came to Da Nang Hospital for examination with a painful, throbbing lump in the right side of his neck that pulsed with his heartbeat. The patient was prescribed an ultrasound, a CT scan with intravenous contrast in the neck area, and other paraclinical tests.

Doctors from the Thoracic Surgery Department of Da Nang Hospital check the CT scan results of the carotid body tumor of patient Doan XL before surgery.

The results showed a space-occupying lesion in the right neck measuring 33x37x64mm, well-defined, surrounding the right carotid artery, with central vascularity, and significant vascular proliferation after contrast injection. The patient was diagnosed with suspected right carotid body tumor complicated by compression of the right carotid artery, and was admitted to the Thoracic Surgery department for surgical removal of the tumor.

According to Dr. Than Trong Vu, Head of the Thoracic Surgery Department at Da Nang Hospital, who directly performed the surgery, the procedure was very difficult due to the large tumor with numerous blood vessels surrounding the internal and external carotid arteries and the bifurcation point of the carotid artery.

A large tumor extending above the skull base and downwards can compress the common carotid artery, resulting in a very high risk of bleeding during and after surgery. There is also a potential for brain injury during the process of clamping the carotid artery to address the lesion during dissection.

However, thanks to their extensive experience, after a four-hour surgery, the doctors from the Anesthesia and Resuscitation Department and the Thoracic Surgery Department of Da Nang Hospital successfully removed the entire tumor without any complications.

The post-operative pathology results showed a paraganglionic tumor in the head and neck region, consistent with a carotid body tumor diagnosis. After surgery, the patient's health was stable, and they were able to eat, drink, and talk normally before being discharged from the hospital.

According to Specialist Doctor Thân Trọng Vũ, carotid body tumors are rare, with an incidence rate of 1-2 patients per 100,000 people, accounting for 0.6/100 of neck tumors. The tumors are usually benign, however, about 5-7% have the potential to be malignant. The tumor originates from the bifurcation of the common carotid artery into the internal and external carotid arteries.

The tumor is surrounded by many important cranial nerves such as the glossopharyngeal nerve, the hypoglossal nerve, and the vagus nerve. Surgery is the only curative treatment method, but it is very difficult and many neurological and vascular complications can occur. At the Thoracic Surgery Department, this is the first case of this tumor encountered in the last 10 years.

"If patients feel an unusual swelling or a protruding lump in their neck, they should seek examination at specialized medical facilities for timely treatment. This will prevent the tumor from growing too large, making surgery more difficult and increasing the risk of complications," Dr. Vu advised.

Hai Chau

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/tin-uc/da-nang-phau-thuat-thanh-cong-khoi-u-than-canh-cuc-ky-hiem-gap/20241025053316671