European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 22 - Number 5
Eur J Anat, 22 (5): 419-423 (2018)

A rare case of the dual origin of the right vertebral artery with an aortic arch origin of the left vertebral artery

Xiaozhi Li1, Jing Chen1, Zhuokai Zhuang1, Mingjian Ma1, Hongjie Zhuang1, Yumin Qiu1, Feng Ye1, Xiaoxin Wu1, Prince LM Zilundu2, Lihua Zhou1,2, Dazheng Xu1,2

1Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China, 2Department of Human Anatomy, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China

ABSTRACT In clinical practice, rare structural vascular variations pose important risks for clinical procedures such as diagnostic vascular interventions or surgical treatment. The authors herein describe a rare case of an unusual origin of both vertebral arteries in a singular adult male cadaver. The two right vertebral arteries independently originated from the right subclavian artery, while the left vertebral artery took origin from the aortic arch. The left vertebral artery entered the 5th transverse foramen while the two right vertebral arteries entered the 4th and 6th transverse foramen, respectively.

Keywords: Embryological development â?? Vertebral artery â?? Origin variation â?? Anatomical variations

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)