Tortuous common carotid artery presenting as a pediatric submandibular neck mass

Aberrant common carotid artery anatomy is a rare cause of a lateral neck mass in pediatric patients. In this article we present the first reported case of a young boy presenting with a pulsatile submandibular mass due to an aberrant common carotid artery. Although there are many causes of carotid artery tortuosity, no specific syndrome or specific diagnosis associated with the arterial changes was ultimately assigned to this child. Though only conservative medical management was elected, this case illustrates the importance of considering abnormal carotid artery anatomy as a rare, but potential cause of neck mass in the pediatric patient.