Devadas Deepa, Pillay Minnie, Sukumaran Tintu Thottiyil
Department of Anatomy, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, India.
Department of Anatomy, Amrita School of Medicine, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, India.
Anat Cell Biol. 2018 Dec;51(4):225-231. doi: 10.5115/acb.2018.51.4.225. Epub 2018 Dec 29.
Variations in the vascular anatomy of the carotid triangle have been reported in current scientific literature. The carotid arteries, being the major feeding arteries of the head and neck deserve special importance and protection from iatrogenic injury during radiological evaluations and surgical interventions. The present study was carried out over a period of 4 years from 2012-2016 to assess the variant anatomy of external carotid artery. The external carotid artery and its branches were dissected bilaterally in 40 formalin embalmed cadavers. The external carotid artery was traced from its origin to termination and variations in the branching pattern as well as the level of the carotid bifurcation were observed and analysed. A higher carotid bifurcation was observed in 25% cases. The linguofacial trunk was the commonest variation noted in the branching pattern seen in 20% cases. A single case of unilateral thyrolinguofacial trunk was also observed. The external carotid artery gave rise to accessory branches in 7.5% cases namely the superior laryngeal, accessory ascending pharyngeal and masseteric branches. A slender branch to the internal jugular vein was also observed in one case. These findings may provide further insight into the understanding of the vascular anatomy of the carotid triangle to the curious student, the discerning radiologist and the vigilant surgeon to avert complications and help improve overall treatment outcome.
当前科学文献中已报道了颈动脉三角区血管解剖结构的变异情况。颈动脉作为头颈部的主要供血动脉，在放射学评估和外科手术干预期间，值得特别重视并防止医源性损伤。本研究于2012年至2016年历时4年开展，以评估颈外动脉的变异解剖结构。在40具经福尔马林防腐处理的尸体上双侧解剖颈外动脉及其分支。追踪颈外动脉从起始至终止的情况，观察并分析其分支模式以及颈动脉分叉水平的变异。在25%的病例中观察到较高的颈动脉分叉。舌面干是分支模式中最常见的变异，见于20%的病例。还观察到1例单侧甲状腺舌面干的病例。在7.5%的病例中，颈外动脉发出了副支，即喉上动脉、副咽升动脉和咬肌支。在1例中还观察到一条至颈内静脉的细长分支。这些发现可能会为好奇的学生、有洞察力的放射科医生和警惕的外科医生进一步了解颈动脉三角区的血管解剖结构提供深入见解，以避免并发症并有助于改善整体治疗效果。
