A case report reveals a bovine aortic arch pattern in a plastinated heart, indicating anatomical variation is more prevalent than previously thought.
The bovine aortic arch is the most common variant in aortic arch anatomy. Recent imaging studies indicate that this variant is present in 10–20% of the population, although cadaveric studies have reported a prevalence ranging from 11% to 27%. Our study aimed to report a case of bovine arch in a plastinated heart. During a routine dissection of the cardiac base vessels, an anatomical variation of the aortic arch, the bovine arch, was observed. In our study, the bovine arch originated from the left lateral aspect of the brachiocephalic trunk, marking the first time this aortic arch pattern was observed in our anatomical collection. Therefore, a deeper understanding and continuous monitoring of these anomalies not only increase the knowledge of healthcare professionals but are also crucial to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment choices.
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Souza et al. (2025) studied this question.
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