Tortuous Common Carotid Artery: A Report of Four Cases Observed in Cadaveric Dissections

Figure 1

Four cases of tortuous common carotid artery (CCA) reported in the present study. Black dotted lines indicate the thyroid glands. White dotted lines indicate the common carotid arteries. White lines show the inferior border of the thyroid glands. (a) Case . Bilateral tortuous CCAs ascend posterior to the thyroid gland. The left side is especially tortuous. (b) Case . Bilateral tortuous CCAs ascend posterior to the thyroid gland. The right side is especially tortuous. (c) Case . Tortuous CCA on the right side ascends posterior to the thyroid gland. The aortic arch had been removed during dissection. (d) Case . Bilateral tortuous CCAs ascend posterior to the thyroid gland with a 360° turn. The brachiocephalic trunk is also tortuous and hypertrophied. (e) Case . Aortic arch and its branches after removal from the body. The vascular wall is highly calcified and has lost its elasticity. (f) Case . Computed tomography (CT) image shows the calcified part of the aortic arch and its branches. White parts, which had high CT values, are suspected to be calcified. AA: aortic arch; BCA: brachiocephalic artery; CCA: common carotid artery; SCA: subclavian artery.

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