Abstract: Objective　To study the clinical features, diagnoses and operative intervention of carotid body tumors.Methods　 The medical records of 26 patientswith carotid body paragangliomas between 1993 and 2004 were retrospectively reviewed.Results 　Two of twenty-six patients had bilateral tumors. One patient had malignanttumorswith cervical lymph nodesmetastases. Twen- ty-one patients were evaluated with a preoperative angiography. No preoperative embolization was performed. Eleven patients un- derwent ultrasonography, nine had CTscan of the neck, five had magnetic resonance imaging. Twenty-six patientswere all operat- ed. Vascular reconstructionwas performed in five cases. The ligation of carotid arterywas carried out in four cases and another pa- tient had vagus nerve resection. No death and recurrence occurred in all cases.Conclusion　Angiography and ultrasonography are valuable in the diagnosis of carotid body tumor. Surgical removal should be made early to avoid the possibility of eventual metasta- sis and progressive local invasion. The pattern of operation should be chosed according to the relation of tumor and carotid.

Key words: carotid body tumor, angiography, temporary balloon occlusion, B ultrasonography