Microsurgical anatomy of the human carotid body (glomus caroticum): Features of its detailed topography, syntopy and morphology. 2016

Sissy-Amelie Schulz, and Aliona Wöhler, and Dirk Beutner, and Doychin N Angelov
Anatomical Institute I, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9, D-50924 Köln, Germany; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Germany.

The human glomus caroticum (GC) is not readily accessible during ordinary anatomical teaching courses because of insufficient time and difficulties encountered in the preparation. Accordingly, most anatomical descriptions of its location, relationship to neighboring structures, size and shape are supported only by drawings, but not by photographs. The aim of this study is to present the GC with all associated roots and branches. Following microscope-assisted dissection and precise photo-documentation, a detailed analysis of location, syntopy and morphology was performed. We carried out this study on 46 bifurcations of the common carotid artery (CCA) into the external (ECA) and internal (ICA) carotid arteries and identified the GC in 40 (91%) of them. We found significant variations regarding the location of the GC and its syntopy: GC was associated with CCA (42%), ECA (28%) and ICA (30%) lying on the medial or lateral surface (82% or 13%, respectively) or exactly in the middle (5%) of the bifurcation. The short and long diameter of its oval form varied from 1.0 × 2.0 to 5.0 × 5.0mm. Connections with the sympathetic trunk (100%), glossopharyngeal (93%), vagus (79%) and hypoglossal nerve (90%) could be established in 29 cadavers. We conclude that precise knowledge of this enormous variety might be very helpful not only to students in medicine and dentistry during anatomical dissection courses, but also to surgeons working in this field.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007002 Hypoglossal Nerve The 12th cranial nerve. The hypoglossal nerve originates in the hypoglossal nucleus of the medulla and supplies motor innervation to all of the muscles of the tongue except the palatoglossus (which is supplied by the vagus). This nerve also contains proprioceptive afferents from the tongue muscles. Cranial Nerve XII,Twelfth Cranial Nerve,Nerve XII,Nervus Hypoglossus,Cranial Nerve XIIs,Cranial Nerve, Twelfth,Cranial Nerves, Twelfth,Hypoglossal Nerves,Hypoglossus, Nervus,Nerve XII, Cranial,Nerve XIIs,Nerve XIIs, Cranial,Nerve, Hypoglossal,Nerve, Twelfth Cranial,Nerves, Hypoglossal,Nerves, Twelfth Cranial,Twelfth Cranial Nerves,XII, Nerve,XIIs, Nerve
D009434 Neural Pathways Neural tracts connecting one part of the nervous system with another. Neural Interconnections,Interconnection, Neural,Interconnections, Neural,Neural Interconnection,Neural Pathway,Pathway, Neural,Pathways, Neural
D002102 Cadaver A dead body, usually a human body. Corpse,Cadavers,Corpses
D002342 Carotid Artery, External Branch of the common carotid artery which supplies the exterior of the head, the face, and the greater part of the neck. Arteries, External Carotid,Artery, External Carotid,Carotid Arteries, External,External Carotid Arteries,External Carotid Artery
D002343 Carotid Artery, Internal Branch of the common carotid artery which supplies the anterior part of the brain, the eye and its appendages, the forehead and nose. Arteries, Internal Carotid,Artery, Internal Carotid,Carotid Arteries, Internal,Internal Carotid Arteries,Internal Carotid Artery
D002344 Carotid Body A small cluster of chemoreceptive and supporting cells located near the bifurcation of the internal carotid artery. The carotid body, which is richly supplied with fenestrated capillaries, senses the pH, carbon dioxide, and oxygen concentrations in the blood and plays a crucial role in their homeostatic control. Glomus Caroticum,Bodies, Carotid,Body, Carotid,Caroticum, Glomus,Carotid Bodies
D005918 Glomus Tumor A blue-red, extremely painful vascular neoplasm involving a glomeriform arteriovenous anastomosis (glomus body), which may be found anywhere in the skin, most often in the distal portion of the fingers and toes, especially beneath the nail. It is composed of specialized pericytes (sometimes termed glomus cells), usually in single encapsulated nodular masses which may be several millimeters in diameter (From Stedman, 27th ed). CHEMODECTOMA, a tumor of NEURAL CREST origin, is also sometimes called a glomus tumor. Glomangioma,Glomangiomas,Glomus Tumors,Tumor, Glomus,Tumors, Glomus
D005930 Glossopharyngeal Nerve The 9th cranial nerve. The glossopharyngeal nerve is a mixed motor and sensory nerve; it conveys somatic and autonomic efferents as well as general, special, and visceral afferents. Among the connections are motor fibers to the stylopharyngeus muscle, parasympathetic fibers to the parotid glands, general and taste afferents from the posterior third of the tongue, the nasopharynx, and the palate, and afferents from baroreceptors and CHEMORECEPTOR CELLS of the carotid sinus. Cranial Nerve IX,Ninth Cranial Nerve,Cranial Nerve IXs,Cranial Nerve, Ninth,Cranial Nerves, Ninth,Glossopharyngeal Nerves,Nerve, Glossopharyngeal,Nerve, Ninth Cranial,Nerves, Glossopharyngeal,Nerves, Ninth Cranial,Ninth Cranial Nerves
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013564 Sympathetic Nervous System The thoracolumbar division of the autonomic nervous system. Sympathetic preganglionic fibers originate in neurons of the intermediolateral column of the spinal cord and project to the paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia, which in turn project to target organs. The sympathetic nervous system mediates the body's response to stressful situations, i.e., the fight or flight reactions. It often acts reciprocally to the parasympathetic system. Nervous System, Sympathetic,Nervous Systems, Sympathetic,Sympathetic Nervous Systems,System, Sympathetic Nervous,Systems, Sympathetic Nervous

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