Carotid body tumors seem to be encountered more frequently in people living at high altitudes. Twenty lesions operated in 19 patients at a general hospital in Quito, Ecuador over a period of only 5 years are reported. All patients lived in the highlands of the Andean region. There was no operative mortality, and morbidity was comparable to other series. No malignant cases were found. A higher degree of suspicion to recognize tumors and to operate at an earlier stage of development and thereby diminish operative morbidity is recommended. The great reliability of contrast angiogram and the development of other noninvasive diagnostic techniques is stressed. A study of the incidence of this lesion in the entire country should be made in the future.
