Anomalous Subarcuate Canal and Artery: A Rare Anatomical Variation

INTRODUCTION: An aberrant or anomalous subarcuate artery and its canal is an extremely rare and clinically significant finding. If accidentally nicked or injured, it can cause inadvertent hemorrhage and obscure the surgical field. CASE REPORT: We present a case of 21 year old made with Chronic Otitis Media of the right ear who was incidentally diagnosed with a dilated subarcuate canal and an aberrant subarcuate artery atypically associated with lateral semicircular canal and facial nerve. CONCLUSIONS: Prior knowledge of this symptomatically dormant variation is important, particularly in retrofacial tympanomastoidectomy and cerebello-pontine angle tumor surgeries. Pre-operative temporal bone scans are advisable in such cases.