Six heads of origin of sternocleidomastoid muscle: a rare case

Abstract

A morphological variation in the origin of the right sternocleidomastoid muscle was encountered during routine dissection of the neck for undergraduate students. We found six heads of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, two sternal and four clavicular heads. The two sternal heads were lying side by side, while two clavicular heads were lying superficially and another two clavicular head lying in a deep plane. These variations must be kept in mind while approaching the region for any surgical intervention to avoid complications.

Keywords: Sternocleidomastoid; Anatomical variation; Sternal heads; Clavicular heads