[Paraganglioma of the carotid body. Apropos of a case in a 14-year-old child].

Abstract

Carotid body tumors are encountered infrequently. We report a case of a fourteen year old boy presenting an inflammatory biologic syndrome with a right neck mass. The diagnosis was first an Hodgkin disease but the surgical approach and histological examination of the neck mass conclude to a benign carotid body tumor. A subadventitial excision allowed a complete recovery with one year follow up. The diagnosis of these tumors is essentially made by arteriography. They are benign in most of the cases but sometimes need for a vascular reconstructive surgery in very extended forms.