It is the purpose of this presentation to emphasize the feasibility of removing carotidbody tumors without sacrifice of the carotid arteries when the tumors are in intimate association with the carotid vessels.
LIFE HISTORY OF CAROTID-BODY TUMORS
Since there have been no reports of spontaneous regression of carotid-body tumors, one must be prepared to accept the complications produced by a slow-growing tumor in this location if removal is not advised. The gradual growth of these tumors, encircling certain vital structures and distorting and pushing others aside, may produce serious symptoms and even death in some cases. Certainly, such tumors can become very large when left untreated.*Keen and Funke in 1906, discussing the growth characteristics of carotid-body tumors, recognized that, in general, they are benign but that some tumors, after exhibiting a slow rate of growth over a period of several years, suddenly change to a very rap