Thyroid ima artery

The thyroid ima artery (thyroidea ima artery, arteria thyreoidea ima, thyroid artery of Neubauer or the lowest thyroid artery) is an artery of the head and neck. It is an anatomical variant that, when present, supplies blood to the thyroid gland, which is primarily supplied by the inferior and superior thyroid arteries. The artery also supplies the trachea, the parathyroid gland and the thymus gland (as thymica accessoria) in rare cases. It has also been reported to be a compensatory artery when one or both of the inferior thyroid arteries are absent and in a few cases the only source of blood to the thyroid gland. Though it mostly arises from the brachiocephalic trunk, it may also originate from other sources. It also varies in size, blood supply, and termination. The artery occurs in only 3–10% of the population and because of the variations, it may cause surgical complications such as severe bleeding.