Rare variations in vascular pattern of thyroid gland

摘要

The thyroid gland is the most vascular endocrine gland. Knowledge of anatomical variations of the vessels supplying the thyroid gland is of utmost importance to surgeons operating in that region to avoid any catastrophic outcomes. During routine dissection of neck region, anatomy of thyroid gland in a cadaver caught our attention as it had multiple variations. The lateral lobes were quadrilateral in shape. The branching pattern of superior thyroid artery on left side showed trifurcation along the midline of superior border of isthmus. The inferior thyroid vein took a longer course and joined with the superior thyroid vein to drain into the left internal jugular vein instead of left brachiocephalic vein. The implications of such variations in relation to the anatomy of the thyroid gland is relevant for academic and clinical purposes.