The Laryngoscope
-
To determine the value of preoperative balloon occlusion in predicting the safety of carotid artery resection in advanced recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. ⋯ Preoperative carotid balloon occlusion predicted patients who could tolerate permanent occlusion. All patients eventually developed recurrent disease, but in 14 of the 15 patients, no hemorrhages occurred.