Posterior communicating artery

Artery: Posterior communicating artery
Schematic representation of the arterial circle and arteries of the brain. The posterior communicating arteries (middle of figure) connect the internal carotid arteries' trifurcations and the posterior cerebral arteries.
The brain and the arteries of the base of the brain. The temporal pole of the cerebrum and a portion of the cerebellar hemisphere have been removed on the right side. Inferior aspect (viewed from below).
Latin	arteria cerebri communicans posterior
Gray's	subject #146 573

In human anatomy, the posterior communicating artery is one of a pair of right-sided and left-sided blood vessels in the circle of Willis. It connects the three cerebral arteries of the same side. Anteriorly, it connects to the internal carotid artery (ICA) prior the terminal bifurcation of the ICA into the anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery. Posteriorly, it communicates with the posterior cerebral artery.

Pathology

Aneurysms of the posterior communicating artery are the third most common circle of Willis aneurysm^[1] (the most common are anterior communicating artery aneurysms) and can lead to oculomotor nerve palsy.^[2]

Fetal origin

The development of the PCA in the fetal brain occurs relatively late and arises from the fusion of several embryonic vessels near the caudal end of the posterior communicating artery.

The PCA begins as a continuation of the posterior communicating artery in 70-90% of fetuses with the remainder of PCAs having a basilar origin. The fetal carotid origin of the PCA usually regresses as the vertebral and basilar arteries become dominant and it finds a new origin in the basilar artery. About 20% of adults retain PCA origin from the posterior communicating artery, and in turn, the internal carotid arteries.^[3]

References

1. ^ Beck J, Rohde S, Berkefeld J, Seifert V, Raabe A. Size and location of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms measured by 3-dimensional rotational angiography. Surg Neurol. 2006 Jan;65(1):18-25; discussion 25-7. PMID 16378842.
2. ^ Dimopoulos VG, Fountas KN, Feltes CH, Robinson JS, Grigorian AA. Literature review regarding the methodology of assessing third nerve paresis associated with non-ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms. Neurosurg Rev. 2005 Oct;28(4):256-60. PMID 15947958.
3. ^ Osborn, Anne G.; Jacobs, John M. (1999), Diagnostic Cerebral Angiography, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp. 153

External links

• MedEd at Loyola Neuro/neurovasc/navigation/pcom.htm
• SUNY Labs 28:09-0209
• Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 13048.000-1
• Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 13048.000-3

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