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Anatomical Variations of the Superior Thyroid and Superior Laryngeal Arteries

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Stephen McHanwell

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Abstract

Background. There are known to be variations in the origins of the superior thyroid artery (STA), an important surgical landmark, and 1 of its branches, the superior laryngeal artery (SLA). Methods. Three hundred thirty human embalmed hemi-necks were dissected. The results of previous studies were reviewed, and a meta-analysis is presented. Results. Four different origins for the STA were found. The most frequent was type 1, from the carotid bifurcation (49%). Four different origins were also found for the SLA being the most frequent the type I in which the artery arose from STA (78%). The mean external diameters of STA and SLA were 0.26 and 0.20 cm, respectively, with no statistically significant differences by side or sex. Conclusion. Variations in the origin of STA and SLA from the carotid arterial tree and the similarity of their diameters mean that there is a significant possibility of their misidentified during surgery. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 31: 1078-1085, 2009

Publication metadata

Author(s): Vazquez T, Cobiella R, Maranillo E, Valderrama FJ, McHanwell S, Parkin I, Sanudo JR

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Head & Neck

Year: 2009

Volume: 31

Issue: 8

Pages: 1078-1085

ISSN (print): 1043-3074

ISSN (electronic): 1097-0347

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hed.21077

DOI: 10.1002/hed.21077

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