Abstract

Based on the study of 749 anatomic specimens, obtained from 366 male cadavers and 383 female cadavers, with ages between 56 and 89 years, dissected at the Department of Anatomy and Embriology, UMF „Iuliu Haţieganu” Cluj-Napoca bet-ween 1971 and 1998, the authors identified 132 anatomic variants of the aortic arches and its collateral branches (17,62 %) and 617 (82,37%) considered mophologically “normal” specimens. The embryological features and some data concerning the his-tory of research and scientific literature are reviewed; the results and interpretations of the articles’ authors are also added. The progress in imaging and cardiovascular surgery in the last 50-60 years evolved together with the permanent update and revision of anatomy, to which several completions were added.

Keywords

aortic arch, collateral branches, anatomic variants