Abstract: Background: Even though aortic arch anomalies are very prevalent, affecting 3-5% of all cadavers, the surgical treatment of these atypical branches in the cervical region is still up for debate. The patient was a 73-year-old Caucasian woman who died from renal failure brought on by a severe urinary tract infection. The AA between the left common carotid and the subclavian arteries served as the patient's left vertebral artery.
Methods: The study carried out at Department of Orthopaedics, Sree Lakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences, Puducherry, India from January 2016 to December 2016. During this study, a cadaver was obtained from a willed body programme for medical students to dissect. This helped students obtain practical experience. The 75-year-old white donor died unexpectedly from a serious urinary tract infection.
Results: Left preforaminal VA was more tortuous than right. Right and left VAs entered the foramen transversarium at the 5th and 6th cervical vertebra, respectively. The right VA was wider and had a greater lumen than the left. Right and left distal VAs had the same lumen width and size. Right and left VAs 'kinked' and distended before going through the foramen transversarium. As the VA became the basilar artery, its intracranial segment decreased.
Conclusion: People who have LVA as a result of AA might not show any symptoms. When considering an anterior approach for cervical spine surgery and other head-neck procedures, the anatomical position of a left vertebral artery is important. This is because reaching the cervical spine using an anterior approach requires retracting soft tissues like arteries, veins, and muscles.
