Vascular labeling of the head and neck vessels : technique, advantages and limitations

Background Vascular staining techniques have been used to describe the vascular structures of several anatomic areas. However, few reports have described this procedure in the head and neck region. This paper describes a head and neck vascular labeling procedure, and describes some of the technical complications that may occur. Material and methods Fifteen specimen cadaver heads were prepared. After drying the vascular system, the internal carotid arteries were ligated and a solution with latex and a gelling agent was injected into the internal carotid arteries and external jugular veins. Two different colors were employed to differentiate arteries from veins. A total of 60ml latex was inje…