title: The meningeal branches of the superior cerebellar artery: a surgical observation study.
abstract: OBJECT The tentorial branch of the posterior cerebral artery was first identified in a cadaver dissection study. However, the tentorial branch of the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) has not been clearly described in autopsy or normal anatomical studies. In this study, a dural branch of the SCA that was found during the surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia is described. METHODS Between April 2011 and March 2014, 70 patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia underwent microvascular decompression. The records of 58 patients were reviewed to investigate the meningeal branch of the SCA. RESULTS The meningeal branch of the SCA was visualized in 15 of the 58 patients (25.9%). In 4 patients, it was necessary to divide this branch in order to achieve decompression of the trigeminal nerve without eliciting postoperative neurological deficits. CONCLUSIONS This is the first identification of the meningeal branch of the SCA in living subjects, and such branches were rather frequently found. Recognition of this branch is important for the management of lesions in the cerebellopontine angle and tentorial lesions, using either an open microsurgical or endovascular method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nippon Medical School, Chiba-Hokusou Hospital, Chiba;
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Umeoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo Medical School, Tokyo; and.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takusakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nippon Medical School, Chiba-Hokusou Hospital, Chiba;
authors.forename: Shushi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kominami
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nippon Medical School, Chiba-Hokusou Hospital, Chiba;
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008578:Meninges / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D061145:Microvascular Decompression Surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
keywords: SCA = superior cerebellar artery; anatomy; meningeal branch; superior cerebellar artery; surgical observation