Bilateral carotid body tumor in a 13-year-old child: Our experience

Abstract

Carotid body tumors are rare neuroendocrine tumors derived from the extra-adrenal paraganglioma of the autonomic nervous system. Very few cases have been reported in literature in the pediatric age group <14 years of age. We present our experience in managing a Shamblin III carotid body tumor in a 13-year-old boy who underwent an unsuccessful attempt at excision at another hospital. Surgical excision of the tumor along with ligation of the internal carotid artery was done without any postoperative neurological sequel. The tumor on the contralateral side was being managed conservatively with serial follow-up.

Keywords

• Carotid body tumor
• glomus caroticum
• internal carotid artery ligation
• pediatric paraganglioma