Course variations of the internal carotid artery and their significance in pharyngeal surgery

Czech version

Authors: Peter Kántor ^1,2; V. Procházka ^3,4; P. Komínek ^1,2
Authors‘ workplace: Klinika otorinolaryngologie a chirurgie hlavy a krku FN Ostrava ¹; Katedra kraniofaciálních oborů, LF OU v Ostravě ²; Radiodia gnostický ústav, FN Ostrava ³; Ústav zobrazovacích metod, LF OU v Ostravě ⁴
Published in: Otorinolaryngol Foniatr, 70, 2021, No. 4, pp. 234-238.
Category: Review Article
doi: https://doi.org/10.48095/ccorl2021234

Overview

The internal carotid artery is one of the major vessels of the neck. It usually originates from the common carotid artery at the level of the 3^rd–4^th cervical vertebra and continues perpendicularly to the skull base in the neurovascular bundle. During common surgical procedures in the pharynx, such as adenoidectomy or tonsillectomy, the artery is usually in a safe distance from the pharyngeal wall and the risk of injury is low. However, several anatomical variations have been described that may cause medialization of the vessel closer to the pharyngeal wall, which significantly increases the risk of injury and occurrence of life-threatening haemorrhage.

Keywords:

internal carotid artery – tonsillectomy – haemorrhage – adenoidectomy – vascular anomalies

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