Caution with carotids: A necessary cognizance. (October 2021) - Kudva, Adarsh
Highlights: Carotid anomalies in the neck can be encountered in 3–5% of otolaryngological cases. Pre operative imaging prior to neck dissections or pharyngeal procedures is a must. Intraoperative awareness and cautious dissection is pivotal while operating. Cardiovascular evaluation in preoperatively diagnosed patients to avoid consequences. Abstract: Most aberrations in the cervical course of the internal carotid artery are generally encountered as incidental findings due to their asymptomatic nature. However these morphological variations if not identified intra operatively or pre operatively may lead to vascular accidents. It is essential to be aware of the existence of tortuosity, kinking, and coiling of these great vessels while considering patients for surgeries of head and neck cancer, pharyngeal resections, traumatic injury repair, etc. Our paper presents a case series of four patients in whom carotid dolichoarteriopathies were observed during the course of neck dissection. It aims to highlight the precautions required to avoid morbidity in such patients.