Vascular Surgery Removes Carotid Body Tumor

Michael Mengote’s carotid body tumor was the largest his USC Arcadia Hospital surgeon had seen. Now, Michael is back to fishing.

Michael Mengote, 34, a married father from West Covina, has a history of cancer in his immediate family. Because of that, he quickly reached out to his primary care physician when, in 2022, he noticed a lump on the left side of his neck.

Michael’s doctor identified the lump as a carotid body tumor, a mass of tissue in the carotid blood vessels. Carotid body tumors are rare, painless and usually noncancerous.

“My doctor wasn’t really concerned and said I didn’t need to do anything about it,” Michael says. “And at the time, the tumor was small and wasn’t really bothering me.”

That recommendation changed when the tumor started growing in early 2025. “My family definitely encouraged me to get it taken care of before it got worse,” Michael says.

His primary care doctor referred him to Christian Ochoa, MD, a vascular surgeon at USC Arcadia Hospital (USC-AH), part of Keck Medicine of USC, and a clinical professor of surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Large carotid body tumor resection

While carotid body tumors are rarely seen, the size of Michael’s tumor made his case even more distinctive.

“At about five centimeters, it was the largest I’d ever operated on,” Dr. Ochoa says.

He explains that, if allowed to grow too large, this type of tumor can harm the carotid artery and restrict blood flow — which is why Dr. Ochoa recommended removal as the best option for Michael. Removing it is also necessary in order to test for cancer.

At the same time, cutting out the tumor — which involves making a large incision in the neck — carries serious risks. “The tumor resides between the two carotid arteries, which go to the brain and the face,” Dr. Ochoa says.

Depending on the tumor’s size and location, there is also a risk of stroke during surgery, as well as damage to the cranial nerves, which control functions such as smell, taste and eye movement.

“It’s a sensitive area with a lot of important structures,” Dr. Ochoa says. “You definitely want a surgeon who knows how to handle the carotid artery.” He emphasizes that the team at USC-AH is uniquely equipped for surgeries like this.

“Although carotid body tumor resection procedures like Michael’s are uncommon, our vascular program here is robust and we do a lot of operations involving the carotid artery.”

One-night hospital stay after vascular surgery

Michael says he felt reassured by Dr. Ochoa’s expertise and signed on for the procedure. “Dr. Ochoa made me feel confident. I appreciated that he was able to assess my tumor and promptly make a plan to resolve it.”

The surgery took place in May 2025 at USC-AH. Dr. Ochoa says the three-hour procedure was smooth and that Michael was able to go home after one night of standard observation in the hospital.

“The whole team at Arcadia was very attentive and responsive,” Michael says. “They made sure I was comfortable and had everything I needed.”

Apart from experiencing some discomfort around the incision as it healed, Michael describes the recovery as relatively easy.

As advised, he avoided lifting heavy objects for a few weeks, but he quickly resumed his normal activities. He even went on a fishing trip to Alaska less than two months after surgery.

Benign biopsy result after tumor removal

Once the carotid body tumor was removed, a biopsy revealed more positive news: Michael’s tumor showed no evidence of cancer.

“It was very satisfying and reassuring to learn that it was benign,” Michael says. “I do have a scar on my neck, but there’s no tightness or stiffness there. I’m feeling really good.”

Michael’s follow-up care will include annual ultrasounds for a few years to ensure the tumor doesn’t come back.

He encourages other patients in similar situations to address these tumors as early as possible. “It’s better to get it taken care of sooner rather than later, before it becomes something worse.”

Dr. Ochoa agrees. “When these carotid body tumors are found, it’s important to get a vascular consultation.” He adds that offering this type of vascular care at USC-AH is improving outcomes because patients can access specialists sooner, and closer to home.

“It’s obviously beneficial that we’re able to collaborate with Keck Hospital of USC and send patients there when needed,” Dr. Ochoa says. “But the majority of the cases I see in the community can be performed here in Arcadia. It’s been great that patients can visit our clinics and then go right across the street to the hospital for care. We’ll always make space available to help our patients.”

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