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Morphological variation of carotid artery bifurcation level in digital angiography
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Abstract
Knowing of the level of carotid artery bifurcation (CB) is important for vascular surgery in the neck, radical neck dissections, carotid sinus baroreceptor stimulation, catheterisations, and aneurysms. The aim of this study was to determine the CB level in relation with the cervical vertebral levels, compare them on the right and the left sides, and investigate the relation of CB level with the length of neck. In this study, 100 conventional carotid angiographies were performed. The CB level was determined in relation with 10 different levels which were the levels of the cervical vertebrae and intervertebral disks, and the relation of CB level with the length of neck was investigated. The right and left CB levels of the patients were also determined, and compared. The highest level of CB was at the level of C2 vertebra, and the lowest level of CB was at the level of C6–C7 intervertebral disk in both male and female. When all patients were taken into consideration, CB level was most frequently seen at the level of C4–C5 (29%) on the right side, and at the level of C4 (26%) on the left side. The CB levels were not symmetrical in 10 female and 23 male. Knowing of the anatomical variations of CB level is important in surgical procedures. The anatomical differences must be taken into consideration since the neighbouring structures of CB change in case of variations. We believe that the results of this study will shed light to planning of all interventional methods concerning common carotid artery and its branches as well as surgery in the neck, and will help to minimise the complications.
Abstract
Knowing of the level of carotid artery bifurcation (CB) is important for vascular surgery in the neck, radical neck dissections, carotid sinus baroreceptor stimulation, catheterisations, and aneurysms. The aim of this study was to determine the CB level in relation with the cervical vertebral levels, compare them on the right and the left sides, and investigate the relation of CB level with the length of neck. In this study, 100 conventional carotid angiographies were performed. The CB level was determined in relation with 10 different levels which were the levels of the cervical vertebrae and intervertebral disks, and the relation of CB level with the length of neck was investigated. The right and left CB levels of the patients were also determined, and compared. The highest level of CB was at the level of C2 vertebra, and the lowest level of CB was at the level of C6–C7 intervertebral disk in both male and female. When all patients were taken into consideration, CB level was most frequently seen at the level of C4–C5 (29%) on the right side, and at the level of C4 (26%) on the left side. The CB levels were not symmetrical in 10 female and 23 male. Knowing of the anatomical variations of CB level is important in surgical procedures. The anatomical differences must be taken into consideration since the neighbouring structures of CB change in case of variations. We believe that the results of this study will shed light to planning of all interventional methods concerning common carotid artery and its branches as well as surgery in the neck, and will help to minimise the complications.
Keywords
carotid artery bifurcation, common carotid artery, variation
About this articleTitle
Morphological variation of carotid artery bifurcation level in digital angiography
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original article
Pages
206-211
Published online
2015-05-28
Page views
2641
Article views/downloads
2634
DOI
10.5603/FM.2015.0032
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2015;74(2):206-211.
Keywords
carotid artery bifurcation
common carotid artery
variation
Authors
A. Kurkcuoglu
C. Aytekin
H. Oktem
C. Pelin
