A rare configuration origin of the superior thyroid, lingual and facial arteries in a pentafurcated common carotid artery

Detailed knowledge about the normal anatomy and its variations is a necessity in good clinical and surgical practice. The case we are reporting here shows a rare configuration origin of the superior thyroid, lingual and facial arteries arising directly from a pentafurcated common carotid artery. A fresh frozen latex-infiltrated cadaver was dissected. The superior thyroid artery, the lingual artery and the facial artery were found to be directly detached from the common carotid artery as terminations of the five terminal rami variations. The current classifications of anatomical variants are discussed in detail in relation to this case.