Unusual Origin of Left Vertebral Artery from Arch of Aorta

The brain requires constant oxygenation and nourishment. It requies high oxygen at rest almost one fifth of the body’s total oxygen requirement. It is also very sensitive to oxygen and cell death can occure within minutes due to ischemia. The blood supply of brain is derived from the internal carotid arteries and the vertebral arteries. The vertebrobasilar system is formed by two vertebral arteries and one basilar artery. Both the vertebral arteries normally arise from the subclavian arteries and variations in the origin of vessels is important for all diagnostic and surgical procedures in the head and neck region. During our routine dissection on 70 years old donated embalmed male cadaver, we observed unusual origin of the left vertebral artery from the Arch of Aorta. No other associated congenital anomaly was observed. The photographs of the unusual origin of the vertebral artery were taken for proper documentation. This unusual branching pattern of the arch of aorta is of great significance for clinicians and mainly surgeons operating on the neck and thoracic region.