Aim: The present study was aimed at investigating the incidence of the tortuosity of the vertebral artery in adult cadavers in order to offer useful data to anatomists, radiologists, endovascular interventionalists and surgeons. In addition, the literature was reviewed so as to enable a comparison of our results with those of previous studies and an analysis of the clinical implications which are related to these variations.Methods: Seventy cadavers were dissected to study the pathway which was carried by the prevertebral segment of 140 vertebral arteries.Result: A total of 31 vertebral arteries (22.1%) were showing the tortuous pathway in 25 cadavers (bilateral in six and unilateral in 19 cadavers single coil tortuosity in 26 and double coil in five vertebral arteries).Conclusions: The described variations in the pathway of the V1 segment of the vertebral artery have clinical implications in a wide field of pathologies in that region. Careful preoperative planning is essential in cases with tortuous vertebral arteries to avoid potentially life threatening complications.
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