VARIATIONS IN THE BRANCHING PATTERN OF CAROTID ARTERIAL SYSTEM: CASE REPORT

The external carotid arterial system is a complex vascular system constituting the nourishment to territorial areas of the head, face and neck tissues. Though the variation in the carotid arteries and their branches are common in the carotid triangle, it is important for the clinicians, surgeons and the radiologists to be aware of all possible variations of these arteries. This paper is an endeavor to bring to notice a rare variation which has immense radiological and surgical importance. In present case – Left superior laryngeal artery (SLA) was arising from External Carotid Artery (ECA) instead of Superior Thyroid Artery (STA) in the cadaver of an approximately 70 year old Asian male. In addition STA arose from Common Carotid Artery (CCA) 2cm before bifurcation instead of ECA. From ECA the