Thyroid ima artery (the artery of Neubauer) - how much do we know?

The blood supply of the thyroid gland has been the subject of numerous original studies, case reports and meta-analyses. The number of surgical procedures carried out on the thyroid gland has significantly increased over the last few decades. The cadaveric report discusses the case of a thyroidea ima artery (TIA) which originated from the brachiocephalic artery before its terminal subdivision, giving off numerous branches to the infrahyoid muscles, trachea, and thyroid gland. Based on the current literature, we discuss the prevalence of TIA, its embryology, and possible clinical aspects of this variation, with special attention paid to the postoperative complications.