Vertebral artery from descending thoracic aorta: rare anatomic variant with diagnostic implication.

Abstract

Variations of vertebral artery origins are rare and incidental. Anomalous bilateral vertebral arteries with right vertebral artery from descending thoracic aorta and normal bilateral subclavian arteries have not been reported in the literature so far. We report one such case in a cyanotic congenital heart disease patient, where its identification is of importance to avoid its inadvertent preoperative embolization, which can be catastrophic.