Unusual branch of the lingual artery supplies the infrahyoid muscles: a dissection study

Abstract

The lingual artery arises from the external carotid artery and supplies the oral floor and the tongue. During its course gives four branches: deep lingual artery, sublingual artery, the dorsal lingual artery and the suprahyoid or hyoid artery. This last runs along the upper border of the hyoid bone supplying the muscles attached to it.

In this work, we reported a unilateral anatomical variation of the branching pattern of the lingual artery, which was observed during dissection studies at the University of Brescia. We found an accessory branch originating from the starting part of the lingual artery. This branch run down and medially and supplied the infrahyoid strap muscles, which normally are sup- plied by arteries originating from the superior thyroid artery, the inferior thyroid artery, and the internal mammary artery.

So, considering that similar case has been not yet reported in literature and considering the current use of the infrahyoid strap muscles as pedicled myocutaneous flaps for reconstruct- ing surgical defects in the head and neck [1-2], this vascular variation appears interesting to be reported for appropriate clinical and surgical technical consideration.