Laboratory of Anatomy, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Clin Anat. 2011 Sep;24(6):699-705. doi: 10.1002/ca.21181. Epub 2011 Mar 24.
Studies on the origin of the superior thyroid artery, define that it could originate either from the external carotid artery, (at the level of common carotid bifurcation), or from the common carotid artery. However, there is a classical anatomic knowledge that the superior thyroid artery is a branch of the external carotid artery. Variability in the anatomy of the superior thyroid artery was studied on 100 carotids. Moreover, a review about the origin of superior thyroid artery between recent and previous cadaveric, autopsy, and angiographic studies, on adults and fetuses, was carried out. The superior thyroid artery originated from the external carotid artery in 39% and at the level of carotid bifurcation and common carotid artery in 61% of cases. The anterior branches of the external carotid artery were separate in 76% of cases, while common trunks between the arteries were found in 24% of the specimens. A new classification proposal on the origin of the superior thyroid artery is also suggested. In this study, the origin of superior thyroid artery is considered at the level of the carotid bifurcation and not from the external carotid artery as stated in many classical anatomy textbooks. This has a great impact on the terminology when referring to the anterior branches of the external carotid artery, which could be termed as anterior branches of the cervical carotid artery. Head and neck surgeons must be familiar with anatomical variations of the superior thyroid artery in order to achieve a better surgical outcome.
关于甲状腺上动脉起源的研究定义，其可以源自颈外动脉（在颈总动脉分叉处），或者源自颈总动脉。然而，有一个经典的解剖学知识，即甲状腺上动脉是颈外动脉的分支。在 100 个颈总动脉中研究了甲状腺上动脉的解剖结构的变异性。此外，还对成人和胎儿的最近和以前的尸体、解剖和血管造影研究中甲状腺上动脉的起源进行了综述。甲状腺上动脉起源于颈外动脉的占 39%，起源于颈总动脉分叉处和颈总动脉的占 61%。颈外动脉的前支在 76%的病例中是分开的，而在 24%的标本中发现了动脉之间的共同主干。还提出了一种关于甲状腺上动脉起源的新分类建议。在这项研究中，甲状腺上动脉的起源被认为是在颈总动脉分叉处，而不是许多经典解剖学教科书中所描述的起源于颈外动脉。这对提及颈外动脉的前支的术语有很大影响，这些前支可以称为颈总动脉的前支。头颈部外科医生必须熟悉甲状腺上动脉的解剖变异，以便取得更好的手术效果。
