Variations in the major
arteries and their branches of the thoracic region have been well described with variations of the
aortic arch, pulmonary trunk,
common carotid arteries and
vertebral arteries being among the most common in the thoracic region. During routine
dissection of the thoracic and
neck regions, the left
vertebral artery in a 58-year-old
female cadaver was found to arise from the
arch of the aorta between the left common carotid and the left
subclavian arteries. The left
vertebral artery was traced along its
course and was observed to enter the transverse foramen of the fifth cervical
vertebral body. With such variation, the findings can influence predisposition to
diseases,
symptomatology, clinical examination, investigation and
patient management, including operative
surgery