title: Arterial supply of the lower cranial nerves: a comprehensive review.
abstract: The lower cranial nerves receive their arterial supply from an intricate network of tributaries derived from the external carotid, internal carotid, and vertebrobasilar territories. A contemporary, comprehensive literature review of the vascular supply of the lower cranial nerves was performed. The vascular supply to the trigeminal, facial, vestibulocochlear, glossopharyngeal, vagus, spinal accessory, and hypoglossal nerves are illustrated with a special emphasis on clinical issues. Frequently the external carotid, internal carotid, and vertebrobasilar territories all contribute to the vascular supply of an individual cranial nerve along its course. Understanding of the vasculature of the lower cranial nerves is of great relevance for skull base surgery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hendrix
authors.forename: Christoph J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Griessenauer
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Foreman
authors.forename: Marios
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loukas
authors.forename: Winfield S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rizk
authors.forename: Mohammadali M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shoja
authors.forename: R Shane
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tubbs
mesh_terms: D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002342:Carotid Artery, External / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D020209:Cranial Nerve Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology; D019291:Skull Base / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: arterial supply; blood supply; cranial nerves; neurosurgery; skull base