Surgical therapy of carotid body tumor LV Wei-ming*,LIU Rui-lei,Li Jie,et al. *Department of Vascular Surgery , the First Affiliated Hospital , Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080 , China Corresponding author:WANG Shen-ming, E-mail:lijie3218@sina.com Abstract Objective To summarize our treatment experience of carotid body tumor. Methods Retrospectively analyze the clinical data of 59 cases(62 sides) of carotid body tumor from Jan 1980 to Dec 2006,including their preoperative preparations,operative procedures,and complications. Evaluate the value of preoperative superselective arteriography plus emboliazation before surgery. Results The intraoperative blood loss and cranial nerve injury significantly decreased in the embolism group( P < 0.01; P < 0.05).11 interal carotid artety reconstructions were carried out, internal shunts were used in 6 cases and 2 cases of them suffered cerbral infarctions(33.3%);27 injuries of cranial nerve occered in 21 pationts(33.87%),but only one permanent injury in them. Pathology reslts: 3 were malignant,others were benign;with 63 months follow-up ,no recurrence or metastasis occurred.Conclusion Preoperative superselective arteriography plus embolization may facilitate the surgical removal of CBT.Operation should be done within 48h.Internal shunts should not be used as a routine method. Histomorphology can not efficiently predict its biological behavior,so we should found a potent follow-up system.