Relationship between the ophthalmic artery and the dural ring of the internal carotid artery. Clinical article.
OBJECTIVE
The ophthalmic artery (OphA) usually arises from the intradural internal carotid artery (ICA), and the extradural origin has also been known. However, the interdural origin is extremely rare. The purpose of this paper was to clarify the origin of the OphA in patients with a paraclinoid aneurysm in the ICA based on intraoperative findings.


METHODS
The authors retrospectively examined 156 patients who underwent direct surgical treatment for 166 paraclinoid aneurysms during a 17-year period. Based on intraoperative findings, 119 ophthalmic arteries were analyzed with respect to their origins.


RESULTS
The OphA originated from the intradural ICA on 102 sides (85.7%), extradural on 9 (7.6%), and interdural on 8 (6.7%). Although the extradural origin might be recognized preoperatively, it was difficult to distinguish the interdural origin of the OphA from the intradural one.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of the interdural origin was 6.7% and was not as rare as the authors expected. Neurosurgeons should know the possible existence of the interdural origin of the OphA to section the medial side of the dural ring.
Horiuchi
Tetsuyoshi
T
Department of Neurosurgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. tetuyosi@shinshu-u.ac.jp
Tanaka
Yuichiro
Y
Kusano
Yoshikazu
Y
Yako
Takehiro
T
Sasaki
Tetsuo
T
Hongo
Kazuhiro
K
D000368:Aged; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009880:Ophthalmic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies