During routine dissection of an adult male cadaver, we found the following bilateral multiple variations in the carotid arteries. The left common carotid artery [Table/ Fig-1] bifurcated at the level of hyoid bone. The right 3] bifurcated in between the upper border of thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone. We found both the external and internal carotid arteries were tortuous in their course. The internal carotid was showing siphon at the level of tip of styloid process on both sides. The kinking was graded as grade 3 with angulation less than 30 0 . The left was relatively more tortuous than the right. The length of left external carotid was 8cm and right was 7cm. The measurements were taken from the point of bifurcation of common carotid artery upto the point where the external carotid artery gave the terminal branches namely maxillary artery and superficial temporal arteries. The length of internal carotid arteries were 7.3cm on right side and 7cm on left side. They were measured from point of bifurcation of common carotid artery up to the entry of internal carotid into carotid canal on the base of skull.Branches from the external carotid also showed variations. The superior thyroid artery arose from the common carotid much below the level of bifurcation on left side and at the level of bifurcation on right side. Supernumerary branches were arising from both the sides, namely, Arteries to Sternocleidomastoid muscle, tonsillar branches, Total 9 branches from right side of which 2 were branches to sternocleidomastoid muscle and 11 branches from left side of which 2 were branches to sternocleidomastoid muscle and one branch to tonsil. The branches to Sternocleidomastoid were crossing the internal carotid artery superficially and supplying the muscle. The tonsillar branch on left side passed along with internal carotid artery and then turned medially to enter the oropharynx to supply the palatine tonsil. DisCussionAnatomical variations occur throughout the course of carotid arteries. Variations may occur in origin, branching pattern and level of bifurcation.

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The thoracic aorta extends from lower border of 4th thoracic vertebra upto the aortic hiatus of thoracic-abdominal diaphragm at the lower border of 12th thoracic vertebra. Then after it continues as abdominal aorta upto lower border of 4th lumbar vertebra where it terminates as common iliac arteries.Commonly the facial, superficial temporal, splenic artery have tortuous course which are routinely taught to the undergraduate students. During routine dissection we noticed variations in the thoracic and abdominal aorta in a female cadaver.The thoracic and the abdominal aorta were found to have a tortuous course instead of a straight course. The bilateral renal arteries were also tortuous. Further the bilateral common iliac and internal and external iliac arteries were also tortuous in their course. Such a case of multiple arteries being tortuous indicates a possibility of arterial tortuosity syndrome which is autosomal recessively inherited. Familial screening is also needed in such cases. Marked tortuosity of the arteries may be an incidental finding and if so, should raise a suspicion for the underlying clinical condition and search for its cause. These many curves in the course of aorta is hazardous for any patient during vascular procedures. Probabilities of blockage or rupture of the arteries increase with the number of twists in the arteries.