Abstract
To compare the safety and effectiveness of surgical treatment of jugular paragangliomas (JPs) following the application of our modified surgical techniques. Fifty-six patients with JPs were analyzed for tumor classification, surgical outcomes, and intratumor blood vessels. The gross total resection in C1-2 (100%) was significantly greater than that in C3 and D (66.7%). Good postoperative facial nerve (FN) function (House-Brackmann I-II) was achieved in 89.5% C1-2 cases, which was not significantly different from C3 and D (93.3%) (P = 0.694). Preoperative and postoperative lower cranial nerve (LCN) deficits correlated with the Fisch's classification of tumors (P < 0.05), and intraoperative blood loss was greater in advanced tumors (P = 0.050). Further study showed that the cross-sectional area of intratumor blood vessels was positively associated with intraoperative blood loss (P < 0.001). Surgical excision of JPs is a safe and effective strategy, and early surgical treatment is a good option for patients with C1-2 tumors without surgical contraindications.