MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ANTERIOR COMMUNICATING ARTERY

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Aim. Cerebral circulation, especially arterial, in recent decades has attracted the interest of anatomists and clinicians. The anterior communicating artery acts as an anastomosis between the left and right anterior cerebral arteries. The aim of this study was to determine the morphological and topographic characteristics of the anterior communicating artery and its variations. Material and Methods. The investigations of anatomical characteristics of the anterior communicating artery are made on 133 human brains without cerebrovascular pathology, from both sexes at age from 23 to 68. Brains were fixed in a 10% solution of formaldehyde, and the obtained material was analyzed using a stereoscopic light microscope. Results and Discussion. The length of the anterior communicating artery ranged from 0.6 to 7.6 mm, with mean value of 2.6 mm. The diameter ranged from 0.5 to 5.1 mm, with a mean value of 2.0 mm. In 54% of the cases anterior communicating artery was presented as a single artery connecting the anterior cerebral arteries. The most common variations of the anterior communicating artery were Y or V shaped (frequency 29%), plexular (frequency 8%), duplication (frequency 4%) and common trunk of anterior cerebral arteries with absence of anterior communicating artery (frequency 4%). Conclusions. Detailed anatomical knowledge of the anterior communicating artery is important when considering vascular surgery in the area of the anterior portion of the circle of Willis, since is the most common site of intracranial aneurysm formation.