Thyrolingual trunk arising from the common carotid artery: a case report

During a cadaver dissection in the anatomy department of the University of Liege, Belgium, an anatomic variation of the superior thyroid and lingual arteries was observed on the right side in a 68-year-old woman. Both arteries arose from a common trunk located 30 mm beneath the carotid bifurcation. After a 5.2 mm course, the thyrolingual trunk divided into superior thyroid and lingual arteries which followed an unusual course towards their respective organs. Knowledge of this anomaly is important for those who are involved with neck surgery and anatomy.