A Study Of Variations In The Origin Of Vertebral Artery And Its Clinical Significance

Abstract

Objectives: An understanding of anatomy is essential to surgeons and knowledge of variations is of practical importance. The anatomic and morphologic variations of great vessels are significant for diagnostic and surgical procedures in the neck and thorax region. Vertebral artery is a branch of subclavian artery, generally arising from the first part of subclavian artery on both the sides. Multiple variations in the origin of vertebral artery have been reported in the literature, most common being directly from the arch of aorta, as a branch of thyrocervical trunk, as a branch of common carotid or external carotid artery.