Bilateral aberrant origin of the inferior thyroid artery from the common carotid artery

Surg Radiol Anat. 2014 Apr;36(3):295-7. doi: 10.1007/s00276-013-1153-x. Epub 2013 Jun 20.

Abstract

The thyroid gland is mainly supplied by the superior and inferior thyroid arteries, with the latter being its principal arterial supply in adults. The inferior thyroid artery usually arises from the thyrocervical trunk, and less frequently from the subclavian artery. Rarely, it may originate from the vertebral artery or the common carotid artery. In the present report, we describe a unique case of a 56-year-old patient, undergoing total thyroidectomy and level VI lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma, with aberrant origin of both inferior thyroid arteries from the common carotid arteries.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma / surgery
  • Carcinoma, Papillary
  • Carotid Artery, Common / anatomy & histology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Thyroid Cancer, Papillary
  • Thyroid Gland / blood supply*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / surgery
  • Thyroidectomy