title: Bilateral abnormal origin of the anterior branches of the external carotid artery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Description of a rare variation is provided alongside with a review of the literature with special references to anatomic, embryologic, and clinical issues it may create.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cadaveric dissection conducted during a pregraduate anatomy course that is accompanied by short review of the literature and critical appraisal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During dissection of the neck region of a male cadaver, the superior thyroid artery occurred from the common carotid artery bilaterally and the lingual artery occurred from the carotid bifurcation on the left side.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Superior thyroid artery originating from common carotid artery or carotid bifurcation is a common variation, but the lingual artery originating from the common carotid artery or carotid bifurcation is very rare (<1%). Its existence can have a significant impact on treatment success and potentially lead to errors during interventions at the neck region. A high level of suspicion is required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrean University of Athens, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: ttroupis@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Troupis
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrean University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Adamantios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michalinos
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrean University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dimovelis
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrean University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Theano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demesticha
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrean University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vlasis
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrean University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panayiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skandalakis
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D002342:Carotid Artery, External / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004210:Dissection; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000098:blood supply*; D012307:Risk Factors; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*