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Published on: January 13, 2023
Is the origin of the superior thyroid artery consistent? A systematic review of 5488 specimens
Alexandros Poutoglidis1, Stavros Savvakis2, Paraskevi Karamitsou1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 'G. Papanikolaou' General Hospital, Leoforos Papanikolaou, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Purpose:
The superior thyroid artery (STA) point of origin is strongly debated with controversial results among studies. External carotid artery (ECA), carotid bulb, and common carotid artery (CCA) have been presented as points of origin with variable percentages among authors. We conducted a systematic review of all existing studies that included cadaveric, surgical, and angiographic specimens and recorded the origin of STA according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement.
Materials And Methods:
Fifty-two studies, with an overall of 5488 specimens were included.
Results:
Our results indicated ECA as the most common site of origin (55.0 %) followed by carotid bifurcation at 27.5 % and CCA at 15.0 %. Absent STA or branching from the internal carotid artery (ICA) was an extremely rare finding. We proposed a new simple classification system based on our results.
Conclusions:
The huge variability in the branching pattern of STA makes head and neck surgery and radiographic interventions challenging and poses the integrity of STA at risk. Therefore, we strongly recommend preoperative angiographic studies for STA identification to prevent an intraoperative iatrogenic injury.
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