Variations In The Origin Of Superior Laryngeal Artery: A Cadaveric Study

ABSTRACT

Background: The superior laryngeal artery (SLA) is the dominant arterial supply of the laryngeal muscles, mucosaand glands. Knowledge of variations in the origin of superior laryngeal artery will be very useful duringreconstructive surgeries of the larynx, partial laryngectomy, laryngeal transplantation, and also during procedureslike super-selective intra-arterial chemotherapy for laryngeal and hypolaryngeal cancers. However, relativelyfew studies have been done on the superior laryngeal artery in comparison to its clinical importance. Thepresent study was aimed at documenting the prevalence of variable origin of the superior laryngeal artery withinthe carotid triangle.Materials and methods: Seventy hemi-necks obtained from 35 cadavers were dissected and studied for variationsin the origin of superior laryngeal artery. Dissection method was employed for this study. The infrahyoid groupof muscles were identified and reflected. The sternocleidomastoid muscle and superior belly of omohyoid weredisplaced laterally. The fascia was removed from the lobes of the thyroid gland exposing its arteries and veins,studied the origin of STA and its branches, especially superior laryngeal artery.Results: It was observed that the superior laryngeal artery took origin from superior thyroid in 92.8% cases.Variable origin from the bifurcation of common carotid artery was noted in 4.28% cases. SLA was found to arisefrom the external carotid artery in 2.85% cases. All the variations that were observed were unilateral.Conclusion: These findings may provide further insight to the anatomists, radiologists and surgeons and canhelp improve performances during surgical manipulations of the larynx.