A Rare Variation of the Levator Scapulae Muscle: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Muscle variations in the posterior neck region are mainly categorized as variations in the origin and insertion of the muscles and the presence of accessory slips or rudimentary muscles. The levator scapulae muscle is a variable muscle with several different types of variations described throughout the literature. Herein, we report a rare unilateral case of an accessory slip from the levator scapulae. Aberrant muscle slip originates from the distal one-third of the levator scapulae. Then, it passes upwards and outwards above a vascular bundle containing a superficial branch of the transverse cervical artery and vein. The deviant muscle slip inserts onto the superior nuchal line. Muscle variations in the neck's posterior region and the levator scapulae's variations, as per se, have the utmost clinical significance since they might be mistaken for tumor mass. Moreover, such variations might be deceptive during surgical procedures in the region. Therefore, detailed knowledge of such complex muscular variations in the posterior region of the neck is paramount for surgeons and radiologists alike.