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Anatomical variation of internal carotid artery presenting as pharyngeal mass
1Department of Otolaryngology, Countess of Chester Hospital, Chester, UK. lcheel@doctors.org.uk
Objective:
We describe a case of an internal carotid artery loop presenting as an oropharyngeal mass.
Method:
Case report and review of current literature.
Case Report:
A 71-year-old woman presented with an asymptomatic oropharyngeal mass. This was an incidental finding by her general practitioner and was urgently referred as a suspicious lesion. A magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed an internal carotid artery tonsillar kink indenting into the pharyngeal wall. No further treatment was necessary.
Conclusion:
The internal carotid kink is an important anatomical variation which ENT surgeons should be aware of, as there are significant complications if blind biopsy is undertaken prior to appropriate imaging.
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