Aberrant Origin of the Left Vertebral Artery from the Arch of Aorta: A Cadaveric Case Report

Anatomical variations in the origin of main branches of the aortic arch are not uncommon but can have significant clinical implications. We present a case of an unusual origin of the left vertebral artery from the aortic arch, a finding that was incidentally discovered during a routine cadaveric dissection session of an undergraduate teaching program. The cadaver was preserved using standard embalming techniques. During the routine thoracic dissection, 4 direct branches were identified to arise from aortic arch. One aberrant artery between left common carotid and left subclavian artery was identified as the left vertebral artery. After the initial lateral curvature, it ascended lying over the transverse process of 7th thoracic vertebra and then entering C6 transverse foramen. No other significant vascular anomalies were identified.