RESUMO
Estudou-se as artérias destinadas às glândulas tireoides, abordando seu número, origem e ordenação em 30 avestruzes (Struthio camelus) com até 30 dias de idade de ambos os sexos. Injetouse na artéria isquiática direita das aves Neoprene látex 450 corado e foram fixadas em solução aquosa de formol a 10%. As glândulas encontravam-se na extremidade cranial da cavidade celomática e mantiveram sintopia com o nervo vago, veia jugular e artéria carótida comum. Receberam colaterais das artérias: carótida comum, esofágica ascendente, traqueal ascendente, subclávia, esofagotraqueobronquial e comum do nervo vago. O número de vasos variou de um (denominado como artéria tireóidea) a cinco (artérias tireóideas cranial, média cranial, média, média caudal e caudal). Todos esses vasos foram encontrados no antímero direito, sendo observados em 28 (93,3%) casos a tireóidea cranial, nove (30%) a média cranial, 12 (40%) a média, nove (30%) a média caudal e 28 (93,3%) a caudal, e no antímero esquerdo em 27 (90%) a tireóidea cranial, seis (20%) a média cranial, 12 (40%) a média, seis (20%) a média caudal e 27 (90%) a caudal. A artéria tireóidea foi observada em dois (6,6%) casos no antímero direito e em três (10%) no antímero esquerdo.(AU)
We studied the arteries leading to the thyroid glands, addressing their number, origin and organization in 30 ostriches (Struthio camelus) with up to 30 days of age in both sexes. The birds were injected with colored solution of Neoprene latex 450 and fixed in aqueous 10% formaldehyde solution. The thyroid glands were presented as paired organs, pale reddish brown, oval-shaped ends, some being elongated craniocaudally and flattened dorsoventrally. The glands were located on the cranial edge of the celomatic cavity and maintained syntopy with the vagus nerve, jugular vein and common carotid artery. The thyroid glands received collateral branches from the following arteries: common carotid, ascending esophageal, tracheal ascending, subclavian, and common esophageal tracheal vagus nerve. The number of vessels ranged from one to five, and were called thyroid, cranial artery, middle cranial, middle, middle caudal and caudal at both antimeres. The vessels were present in the side right in 28 (93,3%) cases as cranial thyroid, nine (30%) as middle cranial, 12 (40%) as middle, nine (30%) as middle caudal and 28 (93,3%) as caudal. And on the left side in 27 (90%) cases as cranial thyroid, six as middle cranial, 12 (40%) as middle, six (20%) as middle caudal and 27 (90%) as caudal. The thyroid artery was observed in two (6,6%) cases in right side and three (10%) on the left side.(AU)