Right common carotid artery crossing the midline neck anterior to the trachea: a cadaver case report.

BACKGROUND

The course of the proximal common carotid artery is reasonably uniform. Its normal position is taken for granted when performing invasive procedures, but variations should be in back of the mind of the surgeon.

METHODS

This is a case report from an anatomical dissection of the neck and mediastinum of a cadaver.

RESULTS

The right common carotid artery was the first branch of the aorta and ascended on the left side, anterolateral to the trachea. It crossed the midline anterior to the trachea between the sternal notch and the isthmus of the thyroid gland. Once on the right side, the artery resumed a normal course. A retro-esophageal right subclavian artery was also found.

CONCLUSION

Anomalous variations in anatomy do occur, the possibilities of which the surgeon needs to be aware. This case illustrates a previously unreported anatomical anomaly that would clearly have had catastrophic consequences had this not been noted during surgery on the anterior neck.