About Me

I am a married gal. I love the outdoors! I absolutely love going on road trips. My favorite state is GA. I have 2 tattoos. I love drums+music. Polar Pops are a must have. Church is very important to me. I am an aunt to only 4 legged animals; which I love but I hate.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Carotid body tumor



A carotid body tumor is basically a tumor located in the superior portion of the neck, in one of the two carotid arteries. The carotid arteries are two of the larger arteries that supply blood to the anterior portion of the brain. These tumors do not typically cause death, however they are known to keep coming back after being removed.


Carotid body tumors are seen more in females. They are also linked to people who live at higher altitudes. They can make the neck feel tender and sore. They may cause dysphagia. They range to about 5 cm or larger. These tumors do need treatment in order to retain the normal blood flow needed to the brain.
Treatment would involve possible radiation due to the fact that these tumors may keep reappearing after being removed. Another treatment possiblity would be a transcathater embolization, which would reduce the blood flow going to the tumor. This is done by inserting a catheter and injecting medication that would occlude these vessels linked to the tumor. Treatments for the carotid body tumor are usually very successful however may cause nerve damage or a stroke. However, these risks appear to be very low. Treatment would be the best option for this tumor.








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