A neurosurgical view of anatomical variations of the distal anterior cerebral artery: an anatomical study.
OBJECTIVE
The vascularization pattern of the anatomy of the distal anterior cerebral artery (ACA) remains a subject of debate. The authors provide detailed information about the distal ACA and shed light on issues concerning it that have not previously been adequately discussed.


METHODS
Fifty adult human brains (100 hemispheres) were obtained during routine autopsies. Cerebral arteries were separately cannulated and injected with latex. The vascularization patterns of the cortical branches and the variations of the arteries were investigated. The authors found that the distal ACA supplied all the inner surfaces of the frontal and parietal lobes and a median of one third of the outer surfaces. The origin of the arteries from the main trunk and their exit angles affected the vascularization patterns of the hemispheres. The authors redefine controversial terminology regarding the callosomarginal artery.


CONCLUSIONS
In each hemisphere, the vascularization pattern of the distal ACA is different to a greater or lesser extent. An awareness of this fact will contribute significantly to surgical interventions.
Ugur
Hasan Caglar
HC
Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. hasanugur2001@hotmail.com
Kahilogullari
Gokmen
G
Esmer
Ali Firat
AF
Comert
Ayhan
A
Odabasi
Aysun B
AB
Tekdemir
Ibrahim
I
Elhan
Alaittin
A
Kanpolat
Yucel
Y
D020771:Anterior Cerebral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*; D002102:Cadaver; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D009626:Terminology as Topic