Anu V R, Pai M M, Rajalakshmi R, Latha V P, Rajanigandha V, D'Costa S
Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Singapore Med J. 2007 Jun;48(6):566-9.
Developmental anomalies in the origin and branching pattern of the external carotid artery are not common. The level of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery and also the variations in the origin/branching pattern of the external carotid artery are well known and documented.
The variations in the level of bifurcation of the common carotid artery and the branching pattern of the external carotid artery were studied on 95 cadavers (52 male and 43 female). The common, external and internal carotid arteries were dissected on both sides. The level of carotid bifurcation was determined by comparison with the cervical vertebrae. Branching patterns of the carotid arteries were examined.
Apart from the textbook description of the arteries, we came across several interesting variations. The bifurcation level of the common carotid artery was determined to be 50 percent at the C3 level, 40 percent at the C4 level and ten percent at the C2 level on the right side, and 55 percent at the C3 level, 35 percent at the C4 level, one percent at the C5 level and nine percent at the C2 level on the left side.
Anatomical knowledge of the origin, course, and branching pattern of the external carotid artery, as well as the level of bifurcation of the common carotid artery, will be useful to surgeons when ligating the vessels in the head and neck regions during surgery and to avoid unnecessary complications during carotid endarterectomy.
颈外动脉起源和分支模式的发育异常并不常见。颈总动脉分叉水平以及颈外动脉起源/分支模式的变异已广为人知并记录在案。
对95具尸体（52例男性和43例女性）研究颈总动脉分叉水平及颈外动脉分支模式的变异情况。双侧解剖颈总动脉、颈外动脉和颈内动脉。通过与颈椎对比确定颈动脉分叉水平。检查颈动脉的分支模式。
除了教科书对动脉的描述外，我们还发现了一些有趣的变异情况。右侧颈总动脉分叉水平在C3水平占50%，在C4水平占40%，在C2水平占10%；左侧在C3水平占55%，在C4水平占35%，在C5水平占1%，在C2水平占9%。
了解颈外动脉的起源、走行和分支模式以及颈总动脉分叉水平的解剖学知识，对外科医生在头颈部手术中结扎血管以及避免颈动脉内膜切除术期间出现不必要的并发症将有所帮助。
