Retropharyngeal internal carotid artery: a rare presentation with significant clinical implications.

A retropharyngeal internal carotid artery is considered a rare anatomic variant with clinical implications. We present a 73-year-old woman with asymptomatic left carotid stenosis, in whom we elected to proceed with medical treatment. An evaluation of her computed tomography angiography scan revealed a retropharyngeal internal carotid artery. This case report outlines this rare entity and highlights its clinical significance.