An anatomic study of anterior communicating artery complex

Objective Under microscope to anatomise and measure anterior communicating artery complex(ACoAC) with it's perforating branches of sellar region, acquire further mastery of configuration of ACoAC in sellar region and measure the vessel and nerve, in order to offer reference for operating approach. Methods The anatomy of ACoAC and it perforating branches were studied in 15 adult cadaver brains under microscopevia pterional approach. The outcomes were analyzed with spss10.0 software. Results The structures of ACoAC and its branches were described. The outer diameter and length of the perforating branches and the major branches of the anterior circle of Willis were measured in detail. Most perforating arteries of anterior cerebral artery(ACA) arose from anterior perforating branches of intracarotid artery(ICA) and formed contrary ACA to connected with the opposite anterior communicating artery(ACoA). Recurrent artery of Heubner was the thickest among the perforating arteries of ACA-A1 segment. It original location?course and amount varied much. The shape of AcoA related with the diameter of the double A1 segments. Conclusion Recurrent artery original location of recurrent artery among space II was usually near ACoA less than 3 mm. So among 3 mm between proximal ACoA and distal ACoA , it is easy to injure the recurrent arteries when we anatomized or clipped ACA. Few perforating arteries arose from proximal A1 segments within 3-5 mm and middle 1/3 portion of A1 segments, these two locations can be used to transiently block for ACoA aneurysms. However, there were almost recurrent arteries parallel companying with distal A1 segments,2 mm near ACoA. It is easy to injury recurrent arteries when anatomized this location. The relationship between hypoplasia of A1 segments and ACoA aneurysms was highly correlative.