An Anomalous Middle Thyroid Vein: A Case Report and a Short Review of the Vascular Anatomy of Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland is an endocrine organ in the anterior neck having a complex vascular network comprising of paired arteries and veins. Variations in this anatomy are significant for surgical procedures involving the thyroid and parathyroid glands. A 40-year-old euthyroid female who underwent total thyroidectomy for a multinodular goiter, was found to have a rare anomalous middle thyroid vein which originated from the upper pole of the right lobe, separate yet alongside the superior pole vascular pedicle. This was in stark contrast to its normal anatomy where the vein arises from the middle portion of the lobe and traverse laterally in front of the common carotid artery to terminate in the internal jugular vein. Understanding such variations is critical in order to avoid complications during surgical interventions.