High bifurcation of common carotid artery, anomalous origin of ascending pharyngeal artery and anomalous branching pattern of external carotid artery

We present a rare case of combined high bifurcation of the common carotid a rtery, anomalous origin of the ascending pharyngeal artery and unusual bran ching pattern of the external carotid artery. The right common carotid arte ry bifurcated at the level between the second and the third cervical verteb rae, giving rise to the ascending pharyngeal artery just below the bifurcat ion. The right external carotid artery branched directly at its origin into the superior thyroid, lingual and occipital arteries and the distal part o f the external carotid artery. The latter gave rise to the right facial art ery and finally bifurcated into the maxillary and superficial temporal arte ries. The right posterior auricular artery arose from the right occipital a rtery. The finding was unilateral and other vascular anomalies were not obs erved. The embryogenesis of such a combination of anomalies is not clear, b ut the anatomic consequences may have important clinical implications.