Anatomical study of the right aberrant subclavian and popliteal arteries in Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

In the present study, we describe the anatomical varieties of 2 arteries: the right subclavian artery (RSA) and the popliteal artery (PA). The aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is an anatomical anomaly that has a low incidence and occurs when it originates in the aortic arch, distal to the left subclavian artery. The PA begins in the ring of the adductor magnus, continuing to the femoral artery and ends at the level of the inferior border of the popliteus muscle, bifurcating into its two terminal branches: the anterior tibial artery and the tibioperoneal trunk. This division presents a great anatomical variety. The national literature on serial dissections of these vessels in fetuses is scarce. From the Fetal Anatomy Area of the Normal Anatomy Department, FCM-UNC, we aimed to determine the incidence of the anatomical varieties of these 2 arteries.
Dissection was performed in fetal cadaveric material, less than 500 grams of weight, between 15 and 24 weeks, provided by the Hospital Misericordia, Córdoba. The sample for the ARSA study was 140 fetuses, 62 male and 78 female. The PA sample was 30 fetuses, 16 female, 14 male. Microdissection instruments, binocular loupes, and macro lens were used. Details of the normal anatomy and the varieties of these arteries were recorded.
The results were 2 cases of retro-esophageal ARSA (1.4%); while PA presented 41 cases of type I (68%), bifurcation at the level of the inferior border of the popliteus muscle; and 19 type II cases (32%), bifurcation at the level of the superior border of the popliteus muscle; not finding any type III cases (one of its terminal branches was hypoplastic/plastic).
The incidence of ARSA is within the ranges of the literature. Type 1 and type 2 PA presented, respectively, lower and higher incidence than other studies. This study contributes to the formation of a local database (Córdoba, Argentina), and could be useful for health professionals to improve diagnoses and avoid therapeutic accidents. Future research with a larger sample size is planned.