SUMMARY

The ansa cervicalis is a neural loop in the neck. It is formed by the union of two main nerve roots-i.e., superior and inferior- derived from the ventral rami of the cervical nerves. The aim of this study was to explore the anatomi-cal variations of the ansa cervicalis with a view to preventing accidental injury during surgi-cal procedures. Fifty formalin-fixed cadavers were dissected bilaterally for the ansa cervi-calis, in which abnormalities were observed in three cadavers. In one cadaver, the ansa cervi-calis was absent and the strap muscles of the neck received their innervations from the vagus nerve. Two cadavers displayed an ansa cervicalis formed by the superior root, which branched out from the vagus nerve instead of the hypoglossal nerve. In recent years, there has been an abundance of techniques utilizing the ansa cervicalis to reinnervate the paralyzed larynx. Because of its proximity to major nerves and vessels of the neck, a good under-standing of the topography and morphology of this loop is essential. Any variation in the course, contributing roots or branching pat-tern of the ansa cervicalis, potentially modifies and complicates the course of procedures relat-ing to this nerve