Abstract
We have recently performed a combined resection of thyroid cancer and the commona carotid artery together with the transplantation of blood vessels and have obtained a favorable effect. The procedure is hereby reported with a review of the literature. This was a 76 years old male patient, who had had a child-fist sized, firm tumor on the left side of the neck. One week prior to surgery, gradual increasing pressure was applied to the common carotid artery to prevent disturbance due to a rapid disruption of blood flow. On October 8, 1965, an operation was carried out under GOF anesthesia at room temperature. The tumor developed from the left lobe of the thyroid and consisted of a firm part and a cystic part. The cystic part was filled with old blood and was attached firmly to the left common carotid artery. The tumor was therefore resected en bloc together with the left common carotid artery and a teflon substitution blood vessel with an internal diameter of 8mm was transplanted, after 7 minutes and 30 seconds of disruption of blood flow through the common carotid artery. Histologically the tumor was follicular adenocarcinoma of Warren and Meissner's classification. The literature was reviewed concerning 1) Safe limit of time of occlusion of the common carotid artery, 2) the method of interruption of blood flow during the reconstruction of the common carotid artery, 3) the method of operation for the reconstruction of the common carotid artery and 4) Mata's test.
