Anatomía UPCH

Anatomical variations associated with the carotid arterial system in the neck

SUMMARY During routine dissection of the neck region of a middle aged female cadaver, the brachiocephalic trunk was found to arise from the arch of the aorta along the left margin of the trachea. The right common carotid arose anterior to the upper trachea and crossed it. The crossing of the upper part of the trachea by the right common carotid artery is a rare occurrence. A more distal branching of the aortic sac during fetal life could explain the anomalous origin of the brachiocephalic trunk. This may lead to an unusual origin and course of the right common carotid artery. Knowledge of this rare variation is clinically important for making midline neck incisions, as well as for revealing the diagnoses of pulsatile neck swellings.