Rosana Cobiella1, Sara Quinones1, Paloma Aragones2, Xavier León3, Anto Abramovic4, Teresa Vazquez1, José Ramón Sanudo1, Eva Maranillo1, Lukasz Olewnik5, Clara Simon de Blas6, Ian Parkin7, Marko Konschake8. 1. Department of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. 2. Department of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Department of Orthopedics, Hospital Universitario Santa Cristina, Madrid, Spain. 3. Department of ORL, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, UAB, Spain. 4. Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Institute of Clinical and Functional Anatomy, Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria. 5. Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Poland. 6. Department of Computer Science, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos I, Madrid, Spain. 7. University of St. Andrews, School of Medicine, Scotland, United Kingdom. 8. Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Institute of Clinical and Functional Anatomy, Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: Marko.konschake@i-med.ac.at.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To identify the anatomical variations of the main branches of the external carotid artery (lingual, facial, occipital, ascending pharyngeal and sternocleidomastoid), giving information about the calibers and origins with the aim of creating a new classification useful in clinical practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 193 human embalmed body-donors were dissected. The data collected were analyzed using the Chi² test. The results of previous studies were reviewed. RESULTS: The majority of the anterior arterial branches (superior thyroid, facial and lingual artery) were observed with an independent origin, respectively, classified as pattern I (80.83%, 156/193). In 17.62% (34/193) a linguofacial trunk, pattern II, has been observed, only in 1,04% (2/193) a thyrolingual trunk, pattern III, has been found and in one case (1/193, 0.52%) one thyrolinguofacial trunk, pattern IV, was found. Depending on the posterior branches (occipital and ascending pharyngeal), four different types could be determined: type a, the posterior arteries originated independently, type b, the posterior arteries originated in a common trunk, type c, the ascending pharyngeal artery was absent, type d, the occipital artery was absent. CONCLUSION: Anatomical variations in these arteries are relevant in daily clinical practice due to growing applications, e.g., in Interventional Radiology techniques. Knowledge of these anatomical references could help clinicians in the interpretation of the carotid system.
BACKGROUND: To identify the anatomical variations of the main branches of the external carotid artery (lingual, facial, occipital, ascending pharyngeal and sternocleidomastoid), giving information about the calibers and origins with the aim of creating a new classification useful in clinical practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 193 human embalmed body-donors were dissected. The data collected were analyzed using the Chi² test. The results of previous studies were reviewed. RESULTS: The majority of the anterior arterial branches (superior thyroid, facial and lingual artery) were observed with an independent origin, respectively, classified as pattern I (80.83%, 156/193). In 17.62% (34/193) a linguofacial trunk, pattern II, has been observed, only in 1,04% (2/193) a thyrolingual trunk, pattern III, has been found and in one case (1/193, 0.52%) one thyrolinguofacial trunk, pattern IV, was found. Depending on the posterior branches (occipital and ascending pharyngeal), four different types could be determined: type a, the posterior arteries originated independently, type b, the posterior arteries originated in a common trunk, type c, the ascending pharyngeal artery was absent, type d, the occipital artery was absent. CONCLUSION: Anatomical variations in these arteries are relevant in daily clinical practice due to growing applications, e.g., in Interventional Radiology techniques. Knowledge of these anatomical references could help clinicians in the interpretation of the carotid system.