anatomical variations of vertebral artery

Introduction: vertebral arteries arise from the root of the neck as the first branches from the superior-posterior aspect of the subclavian arteries. they ascend the neck to enter the cranial cavity and supply blood to the brain.methods: a total of 20 cadavers (in 10 years) were dissected for the study of variations in the origin of the vertebral artery. this study was conducted in isfahan university of medical sciences.results: in 19 cadavers, left vertebral artery originated from the first part of the subclavian artery. but, in one cadaver, left vertebral artery originated from the aortic arch between the left common carotid and subclavian artery.conclusion: the anatomic and morphologic variations of the vertebral artery are significant for diagnostic and surgical procedures in the head and neck region.