Continuation of the ascending cervical artery as the occipital artery in man.
We report an elderly male cadaver with unilateral anomalous continuation of the ascending cervical artery as the occipital artery. The ascending cervical artery was enlarged from its origin and supplied segmental branches through the intervertebral foramina. At the upper cervical spine, the ascending cervical artery continued as the occipital artery providing the branches normally seen stemming from this artery. No other vascular anomalies were noted in this specimen. This anatomical curiosity should be kept in mind by the clinician or academic who may manipulate this anatomical area.
Tubbs
R Shane
RS
Department of Cell Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, USA. richard.tubbs@ccc.uab.edu
Salter
George
G
Oakes
W Jerry
WJ
D002102:Cadaver; D002342:Carotid Artery, External / Q000002:abnormalities; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000098:blood supply; D006257:Head / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000098:blood supply; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*