Furthermore, it varies in origin, size, blood supply, and termination, and occurs in around 3.8% of the population and is 4.5 times more common in fetuses than in adults.

[1] Because of the variations and rarity, it may lead to surgical complications, particularly during tracheostomy and other airway managements.

[4] It ascends in front of the trachea in the superior mediastinum to the lower part of the thyroid gland.

[10][11] Thyroid ima artery is of surgical importance; due to its relatively small size and infrequent presence it can cause complications such as severe bleeding.

[13] The artery, if dissected, may draw back into the mediastinum and further complicate the condition by causing hemorrhage and clots in the thoracic cavity.

[14] The thyroid ima artery was first defined by German anatomist Johann Ernst Neubauer [de] in the year 1772.