MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE POSTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY

Abstract

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Background. Posterior cerebral artery (PCA), arises in the bifurcation of the basilar artery and supplies blood to the back of the cerebral hemisphere. This artery provides branches for thalamus, mesencephalon and other deep brain structures. Aim. The purpose of the study is to describe the path of the PCA, its length and diameter. Material and Methods. The study analyzed the brain of 25 bodies (50 PCA preparations). The usual techniques of autopsy have been used to extract the brain from the skull. Extracted brain, we put it in physiological solution, while both posterior communicating arteries are connected at level of their union with internal carotis artery. In the vertebrobasilar arterial system we injected 5% mixed gelatin and India ink. The brain has fixed with 10% formaldehyde and glycerol solution for 30 days, after solidifying gelatin in cold water. Results and Discussion. The length of P1 segment was averaged 7.5 mm (5-15 mm), and the diameter was 2.2 mm (0.5-3.5 mm). The P2 segment was split into the anterior (P2A) and posterior (P2P) segments. The length of the P2A segment was averaged 22.5 mm (15-30 mm), and the diameter was 1.5 mm (1-3 mm). The length of the P2P segment was averaged 15.8 mm (8-25 mm), while the average diameter was 1.3 mm (0.8-2 mm). The length of segment P3 was on average 20.1 mm (8-31 mm), while the diameter was 1.2 mm (0.5-1.5 mm). Conclusions. The clinical importance of PCA morphology will serve neurosurgeons in microsurgical interventions; neurological doctors in the diagnosis of PCA occlusive diseases and radiologists in the angiographic detection of pathologies of this artery.