Occipital Artery Arising from the Superior Aspect of the Carotid Bifurcation: A Rare Anatomical Variant

Variations of the branches of the external carotid artery are well known. Commonly, the occipital artery arises from the posterior aspect of the external carotid artery, but it is rarely reported for the occipital artery to arise from the internal carotid artery or carotid bifurcation. It is important to know the variations of the carotid arteries and their branches before invasive procedures to avoid complications. We hereby report the occipital artery arising from the superior aspect of the carotid bifurcation as a rare anatomical variant.