title: Retropharyngeal internal carotid artery: a rare presentation with significant clinical implications.
abstract: A retropharyngeal internal carotid artery is considered a rare anatomic variant with clinical implications. We present a 73-year-old woman with asymptomatic left carotid stenosis, in whom we elected to proceed with medical treatment. An evaluation of her computed tomography angiography scan revealed a retropharyngeal internal carotid artery. This case report outlines this rare entity and highlights its clinical significance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Charleston, WV. Electronic address: mona.lett@camc.org.
authors.forename: Albeir Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Mousa
authors.forename: Ali F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: AbuRahma
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*