Variation in the morphology and branching pattern of the aortic arch: A case report

Introduction The arch of the aorta is situated in the superior mediastinum and it normally branches into three: the brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery, and the left subclavian artery. Variations in its morphology and branching pattern are mainly due to the errors in its embryologic development. Here, we report concurrent variation in the morphology and branching pattern of the aortic arch. Case report The first branch of the aortic arch was a common trunk which divided into the brachiocephalic trunk and the left common carotid artery. There was a constriction in the aortic arch immediately to the left of this common trunk. The left vertebral artery arose from the aortic arch, dorsolateral to the origin of the left subclavian artery. At the root of the neck, the left vertebral artery passed behind the first thoracic and inferior cervical sympathetic ganglia. Conclusion Knowledge of these variations may be very useful to surgeons involved in the cervical and thoracic sympathectomies, vascular surgeries, and cardiac catheterization procedures.