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Variability in the position of the retropharyngeal internal carotid artery
Author(s) -
Gupta Ajay,
Shah Akash D.,
Zhang Zhigang,
Phillips C. Douglas,
Young Robert J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.23393
Subject(s) - medicine , internal carotid artery , radiology , pharynx , carotid arteries , position (finance) , common carotid artery , etiology , cardiology , anatomy , finance , economics
The retropharyngeal internal carotid artery (ICA) is a well‐described arterial anomaly with important implications for patients undergoing pharyngeal approach surgical procedures. Existing clinical and imaging classification schemes for a retropharyngeal ICA take into account arterial distance to the pharyngeal mucosal wall. We describe a case of mobility of a retropharyngeal ICA between short‐interval imaging studies. The possibility of respiratory variability or other etiologies causing such changes in retropharyngeal carotid position have not been described previously. Our findings suggest that imaging findings from a single study alone may not be sufficient to confidently exclude this clinically significant arterial anomaly.