Surgical anatomy of the proximal anterior cerebral artery

1976 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph O. Dunker ◽  
A. Basil Harris

✓ The authors present this study of proximal anterior cerebral arteries in the normal human to provide a clearer basis for strategy in aneurysm surgery. They describe patterns of origin of branches, their subarachnoid course, and parenchymal distribution. Branches that originate from the anterior cerebral artery at the internal carotid bifurcation perfuse the genu and contiguous posterior limb of the internal capsule and the rostral thalamus. Proximal 4-mm branches supply the anterior limb of the internal capsule, the neighboring hypothalamus, anteroventral putamen, and pallidum. The remaining anterior cerebral artery proximal to the communicating artery sends branches to the optic chiasm, the adjacent hypothalamus, and the anterior commissure. Heubner's artery arises directly opposite the anterior communicating artery to supply much of the striatum and internal capsule rostral to the anterior commissure. The anterior communicating artery branches supply the fornix, corpus callosum, septal region, and anterior cingulum. The parenchymal distribution of these end arteries may be surmised from the site of origin of named vessels. With this anatomical information one can avoid interruption of blood supply to vital structures when dealing with the anterior cerebral artery and its branches.

1978 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Perlmutter ◽  
Albert L. Rhoton

✓ The microsurgical anatomy of the distal anterior cerebral artery (ACA) has been defined in 50 cerebral hemispheres. The distal ACA, the portion beginning at the anterior communicating artery (ACoA), was divided into four segments (A2 through A5) according to Fischer. The distal ACA gave origin to central and cerebral branches. The central branches passed to the optic chiasm, suprachiasmatic area, and anterior forebrain below the corpus callosum. The cerebral branches were divided into cortical, subcortical, and callosal branches. The most frequent site of origin of the cortical branches was as follows: orbitofrontal and frontopolar arteries, A2; the anterior and middle internal frontal and callosomarginal arteries, A3; the paracentral artery, A4; and the superior and inferior parietal arteries, A5. The posterior internal frontal artery arose with approximately equal frequency from A3 and A4 and the callosomarginal artery. All the cortical branches arose more frequently from the pericallosal than the callosomarginal artery. Of the major cortical branches, the internal frontal and paracentral arteries arose most frequently from the callosomarginal artery. The distal ACA of one hemisphere sent branches to the contralateral hemisphere in 64% of brains. The anterior portions of the hemisphere between the 5-cm and 15-cm points on the circumferential line showed the most promise of revealing a recipient artery of sufficient size for an extracranial-intracranial artery anastomosis. The distal ACA was the principal artery supplying the corpus callosum. The recurrent artery, which arose from the A2 segment in 78% of hemispheres, sent branches into the subcortical area around the anterior limb of the internal capsule.


1992 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 927-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert van der Zwan ◽  
Berend Hillen ◽  
Cornelis A. F. Tulleken ◽  
Manuel Dujovny ◽  
Ljubisa Dragovic

✓ Recent morphological and functional studies on the circle of Willis suggest that the areas of supply of the six major cerebral arteries show a considerable variation in distribution, in contrast to the relatively consistent pattern generally accepted; therefore, the cortical and intracerebral distribution of the territories of these arteries was investigated in 25 unfixed human brains obtained at routine autopsy. The six major cerebral arteries were simultaneously injected under the same pressure with different-colored Araldite F mixtures under standardized conditions to obtain the most realistic territorial distribution. The cortical boundaries were examined and recorded in relation to the cerebral gyri and sulci, and the territories of the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries were analyzed and compared. The intracerebral distribution of these territories was investigated after the injected brains were cut in parallel slices. The variability of the territories of these arteries was much larger than generally described in the literature. Twenty-six variations in the territory of the anterior cerebral artery, 17 variations in the area of the middle cerebral artery, and 22 variations in the area of the posterior cerebral artery were found in the cortex of 50 hemispheres. Intracerebrally. the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries contributed in varying degrees to the blood supply of the lobar white matter, the internal capsule, the caudate nucleus, and the lentiform nucleus. The large variation in the area in which the cortical and intracerebral boundaries between these territories was located was demonstrated by illustrating the minimum and maximum extent of each. The results are compared with prior findings, and their implications for both experimental model studies and clinical practice are discussed.


1991 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Gibbons ◽  
Leo N. Hopkins ◽  
Roberto C. Heros

✓ Two cases are presented in which clip occlusion of a third distal anterior cerebral artery segment occurred during treatment of anterior communicating artery aneurysms. Case histories, angiograms, operative descriptions, and postmortem findings are presented. The incidence of this anomalous vessel is reviewed. Preoperative and intraoperative vigilance in determining the presence of this anomaly prior to clip placement is emphasized.


1976 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Nutik ◽  
Domenico Dilenge

✓ The angiographic and anatomical features of an anomalous communication between the intradural internal carotid artery and the anterior cerebral artery are described. Essential features of the anastomosis include an origin at, or close to, the origin of the ophthalmic artery, a course ventral to the ipsilateral optic nerve and anterior to the optic chiasm, and a termination near the anterior communicating artery. Although rare, the condition should be considered as an entity. The incidence of associated berry aneurysm and other congenital vascular anomalies is high.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 1249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramanuj Singh ◽  
Ajay Babu Kannabathula ◽  
Himadri Sunam ◽  
Debajani Deka

Background: The circle of Willis (CW) is a vascular network formed at the base of skull in the interpeduncular fossa. Its anterior part is formed by the anterior cerebral artery, from either side. Anterior communicating artery connects the right and left anterior cerebral arteries. Posteriorly, the basilar artery divides into right and left posterior cerebral arteries and each join to ipsilateral internal carotid artery through a posterior communicating artery. Anterior communicating artery and posterior communicating arteries are important component of circle of Willis, acts as collateral channel to stabilize blood flow. In the present study, anatomical variations in the circle of Willis were noted.Methods: 75 apparently normal formalin fixed brain specimens were collected from human cadavers. 55 Normal anatomical pattern and 20 variations of circle of Willis were studied. The Circles of Willis arteries were then colored, photographed, numbered and the abnormalities, if any, were noted.Results: Twenty variations were noted. The most common variation observed is in the anterior communicating artery followed by some other variations like the Posterior communicating arteries, Anterior cerebral artery and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) was found in 20 specimens.Conclusions: Knowledge on of variations in the formation of Circle of Willis, all surgical interventions should be preceded by angiography. Awareness of these anatomical variations is important in the neurovascular procedures.


1980 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Marín ◽  
Mercedes Salaices ◽  
Fernando Rivilla ◽  
Javier Burgos ◽  
Emilio J. Marco

✓ The effect of removal of the left superior cervical ganglion on the contractile response to norepinephrine (NE) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) was studied in isolated segments of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and posterior communicating artery (PCoA) of the cat. Fifteen days after the excision, each dose of NE elicited a potentiated response in both the MCA and the PCoA, whichever side they originated. By contrast, 5-HT induced enhanced vasoconstriction at each dose only in the MCA and PCoA from the left side. When segments of MCA and PCoA from the right side were challenged against 5-HT, a significantly increased response was found only at the first three doses. On the other hand, the NE content of pools made of MCA, PCoA, and anterior cerebral artery from each side was reduced to the same level on both sides after ganglion removal. These results indicate that the excised superior cervical ganglion innervated the MCA and PCoA from both sides of the circle of Willis.


1992 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 455-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michiyasu Suzuki ◽  
Takehide Onuma ◽  
Yoshiharu Sakurai ◽  
Kazuo Mizoi ◽  
Akira Ogawa ◽  
...  

✓ This study reviews aneurysms of the proximal segment (A1) of the anterior cerebral artery in 38 patients (23 men and 15 women) and their surgical, angiographic, and clinical management. Thirty-seven aneurysms were saccular and one was fusiform. The incidence of A1 aneurysms among a total of 4295 aneurysm cases treated was 0.88%. Multiple aneurysms occurred in 17 patients (44.7%) of the 38 cases; in 10 (58.8%), there was bleeding from the A1 aneurysm. The aneurysms were classified into five categories according to the mode of origin of the aneurysm in relation to the A1 segment: in 21 cases, aneurysms originated from the junction of the A1 segment and a perforating artery; in eight, from the A1 segment directly; in six, from the proximal end of the A1 fenestration; and in two, from the junction of the A1 segment and the cortical branch. One patient had a fusiform aneurysm. Computerized tomography (CT) of these aneurysms revealed bleeding extending to the septum pellucidum similar to that of anterior communicating artery aneurysms. When performing radical surgery it is very important to recognize the characteristics of A1 aneurysms, including multiplicity, a high incidence of vascular anomalies (especially A1 fenestration), and their similarity to anterior communicating artery aneurysms on CT.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisham El Falougy ◽  
Petra Selmeciova ◽  
Eliska Kubikova ◽  
Zora Haviarová

The recurrent artery of Heubner (RAH) is the largest vessel of the medial lenticulostriate arteries. It supplies many deep structures, mainly the corpus striatum, the globus pallidus, and the anterior crus of the internal capsule. The aim of the present paper was studying the morphological variations of the RAH and its diameter in relation to different areas of origin. The series contained the records from 183 formalin-fixed adult human brains. The calibrated digital images of the studied brains were evaluated and measured by Image J, which can calculate the number of pixels and convert them to metric measures. The RAH arose most often from the postcommunicating part of the anterior cerebral artery (47.81%). It originated from the precommunicating part of the anterior cerebral artery in 3.55% and at the level of the anterior communicating artery in 43.4% of cases. The RAH was missing in 5.19% and doubled in 6.28% of cases. The mean outer diameter of the RAH was 0.6 mm. The maximal measured diameter was 1.34 mm, and the minimal diameter was 0.19 mm. The awareness of the various anatomical and morphometric variations of the RAH is essential in planning the neurosurgical procedures to avoid unexpected neurological complications.


1973 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Scott

✓ The clinical data on nine patients with aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery complex treated by ligation of an anterior cerebral artery are presented. The long-term follow-up angiograms on five of the eight patients who survived surgery are discussed.


1970 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
George T. Tindall ◽  
John Kapp ◽  
Guy L. Odom ◽  
Stephen C. Robinson

✓ Thirty-one patients with aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery that filled from both sides during carotid arteriography were treated by a combined operative procedure consisting of clip-ligation of one proximal anterior cerebral artery followed by gradual occlusion of the opposite common carotid artery with a Crutchfield clamp. In 14 patients, intravascular pressure recordings in the carotid vessels in the neck were obtained both before and immediately after ligation of the anterior cerebral artery. Before ligation the average intravascular pressure reduction was 55%, while after ligation the average reduction was 71%. Of the 31 patients, 22 have had good results and no recurrent hemorrhage. Nine patients died, four from recurrent hemorrhage. Follow-up carotid arteriography in nine patients showed the aneurysm obliterated in six, smaller in one, and unchanged in two. The results of this study indicate that treatment of certain anterior communicating aneurysms by the combined operative approach described is useful.


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