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Carotid arterial system are vessels of head and neck region. Comprehensive understanding on its branching configuration is of considerable importance to avoid accidental injury during surgical interventions. Common carotid artery (CCA) usually bifurcates into external carotid artery (ECA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) at level of upper border of thyroid cartilage. Normally ECA lies anteromedial to ICA at its commencement and provides branches, but ICA does not provide any branches in neck. In this case, right CCA bifurcated above cricoid cartilage and divided into two branches of equal diameter in a middle-aged female cadaver. Medial one does not provide any branch and it appeared pale. It continued upward, entered carotid canal and it was confirmed as ICA. The ECA was found lateral to right ICA both in its origin and course. ECA provided lingual, facial and occipital branches. Superior thyroid artery was not identified, and it might be accidently damaged during dissection. It was noticed ECA was a content of carotid sheath. Vagus nerve first found between IJV and CCA and subsequently located between IJV and ECA. Third aortic arch contributed to development of CCA, leading part of ICA and entire part of ECA. Remaining part of ICA was developed from cranial portion of dorsal aorta. Therefore, any embryological deficiency in third aortic arch, dorsal aorta or changes inside of origin of ECA may lead to alteration in position of these vessels. Understanding vascular anatomy of neck is vital in precise interpretation of radiological images and neck surgeries.
Niranjan et al. (Thu,) studied this question.