The safe and complete removal of a carotid body tumor with elements suggestive of a malignant potential by employing an intraluminal shunt: report of a case.

The carotid body tumor is a relatively rare neoplasm arising from the intercarotid paraganglions. We report herein the case of a patient with a Shamblin group 2 type carotid body tumor for which safe and successful removal was facilitated by the insertion of an intraluminal shunt. The patient was a 54-year-old man who presented with a spherical elastic mass, 4.8 x 3.7 cm in size, on the right anterior aspect of his neck, which was diagnosed as a carotid body tumor by diagnostic imaging. Because the tumor was suspected to be malignant based on the operative findings, which included invasive adhesion to the carotid artery, an intraluminal shunt was inserted, allowing for safe and complete removal. Histologically, this tumor showed malignant potential with sporadic mitoses and incomplete capsular invasion. Thus, it is recommended that an intraluminal shunt be employed for the removal of a carotid body tumor when it is found to be tightly adherent to the carotid artery during the operation.