Size, Weight and Anatomical Variation

Abstract

The classic carotid body is a spherical or ovoid structure situated between the arms of the carotid bifurcation and arising from its angle. When all adherent adipose tissue has been removed, the carotid body proves to be reddish-brown or tan in colour. It is attached to its artery of origin by a short stalk, the ligament of Mayer, whose rôle in the discovery of the organ has already been described in Chapter 1. This ligament contains the glomic artery providing the glomus with its blood supply. The carotid body is thus a pedunculated structure, although sometimes its lower pole extends downwards to cover the stalk and create the impression that it is sessile. There is considerable variation in both the macroscopic form and location of the carotid bodies and it is important for the pathologist to be well acquainted with this so that anatomical variation may be distinguished from disease with confidence at post mortem.