title: A bovine aortic arch in humans.
abstract: We describe a curious congenital variation of human aortic arch (AA) branching pattern termed the "bovine aortic arch". Rather than arising directly from the AA as a separate branch as occurs in the most common AA branching pattern, the left common carotid artery moves to the right and merges from the brachiocephalic trunk. It is the normal AA branching pattern presented in a number of animals (canines, felines or Macaque monkeys) but it has nothing to do with anatomy of AA in ruminant animals, including cattle and buffalo. That is why it is one of the most widely misnomers used in medical literature whose origin is nowadays unknown.
authors: Cardiac Surgery Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, Salamanca 37007, Spain. Electronic address: elearnaiz@hotmail.com.
authors: María Elena
authors: ME
authors: Arnáiz-García
authors: Cardiac Surgery Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
authors: Jose María
authors: JM
authors: González-Santos
authors: Cardiac Surgery Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: López-Rodriguez
authors: Cardiac Surgery Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
authors: María José
authors: MJ
authors: Dalmau-Sorli
authors: Cardiac Surgery Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Bueno-Codoñer
authors: Cardiac Surgery Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
authors: Adolfo
authors: A
authors: Arévalo-Abascal
authors: Radiology Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors: Jose Ma
authors: JM
authors: Fdez García-Hierro
authors: Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital "Marqués de Valdecilla", Santander, Spain.
authors: Ana María
authors: AM
authors: Arnáiz-García
authors: Radiology Department, University Hospital "Marqués de Valdecilla", Santander, Spain.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Arnáiz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002417:Cattle; D006801:Humans; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Aortic; Arch; Bovine; Variant