Clinically Relevant Variations in the Branching Pattern of Arch of Aorta - Research Article

Anatomical variations in the branching pattern of arch of aorta are significant for diagnostic, surgical, and interventional procedures of the thorax and neck and the aim of the study is to analyze the anatomical variations in the branching pattern of arch of aorta. The purpose of this study is to review the anatomical variations in branching pattern of arch of aorta in fifty adult human cadavers (M: 42, F: 8) dissected in the department of anatomy, Siddhartha medical college, Vijayawada for five consecutive years from 2013 to 2017. The three branches of the arch of aorta were normal in 41 cadavers in the present study. In 9 cadavers, the variations were observed. In five male cadavers and in a female cadaver, the two branches of arch of aorta were the common trunk of brachiocephalic trunk and left common carotid artery and the left subclavian artery. In two male cadavers, the branches were four including the origin of left vertebral artery from arch of aorta. In a female cadaver, the three branches of arch of aorta were as follows: common trunk of brachiocephalic trunk and left common carotid artery, the left vertebral artery and the left subclavian artery. Head and neck surgeons and interventional radiologists should be aware of aortic arch variations. Computerized tomography angiography is a reliable imaging method for demonstrating anatomical features and variations of the arch of aorta