Anterior spinal artery
Updates to Article Attributes
The anterior spinal artery supplies the anterior portion of the spinal cord and arises from the vertebral artery (V4, intradural segment) in the region of the medulla oblongata. The two vertebral arteries (one of which is usually bigger than the other) anastamose in the midline to form a single anterior spinal artery at the level of the foramen magnum.
Gross anatomy
It descends along the anterior surface of the spinal cord, within the anterior median fissure and is covered by pia mater which creates a sheath (linea splendens). Along its course, it is reinforced by other branches that enter the spinal canal via the intervertebral foraminae. Although communication exists at multiple levels, the supply of the cord can be thought of as occurring in three relatively separate sections, supplied by somewhat predictable feeders 4.
-
C1 - T3
anterior segmental medullary arteries (branches of the vertebral artery) at ~C3
ascending cervical artery (the branch of the inferior thyroid artery) at ~C6-C7
-
T3 - T7
-
T8 - conus
artery of Adamkiewicz usually between T9 to T12
cone artery aka artery of Desproges-Gotteron (branch from iliolumbar arteries)
The anterior spinal artery communicates sporadically with the posterior spinal arteries via a pial plexus that encases the cord. At most levels it gives off a sulcal artery which enters the anterior median fissure.
It terminates inferiorly by forming the cruciate anastomosis of the conus medullaris with the posterior spinal arteries5.
Variations
Variation of the anterior spinal artery origin include56
duplication / two independent anterior spinal arteries
single origin of anterior spinal artery from unilateral vertebral artery
single or duplicate anterior spinal arteries arising off vascular arcade between vertebral arteries
Related pathology
-<li>C1 - T3<ul>-<a href="/articles/anterior-segmental-medullary-arteries">anterior segmental medullary arteries</a> (branches of the vertebral artery) at ~C3</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/ascending-cervical-artery">ascending cervical artery</a> (the branch of the <a href="/articles/inferior-thyroid-artery-1">inferior thyroid artery</a>) at ~C6-C7</li>- +<p>C1 - T3</p>
- +<ul>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/anterior-segmental-medullary-arteries">anterior segmental medullary arteries</a> (branches of the vertebral artery) at ~C3</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/ascending-cervical-artery">ascending cervical artery</a> (the branch of the <a href="/articles/inferior-thyroid-artery-1">inferior thyroid artery</a>) at ~C6-C7</p></li>
-<li>T3 - T7<ul><li>-<a href="/articles/posterior-intercostal-arteries">posterior intercostal arteries</a> at ~T7</li></ul>-</li>-<li>T8 - conus<ul>-<a href="/articles/artery-of-adamkiewicz">artery of Adamkiewicz</a> usually between T9 to T12</li>- +<p>T3 - T7</p>
- +<ul><li><p><a href="/articles/posterior-intercostal-arteries">posterior intercostal arteries</a> at ~T7</p></li></ul>
- +</li>
-<a href="/articles/cone-artery">cone artery</a> aka <a href="/articles/artery-of-desproges-gotteron">artery of Desproges-Gotteron</a> (branch from <a href="/articles/iliolumbar-artery">iliolumbar arteries</a>) </li>- +<p>T8 - conus</p>
- +<ul>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/artery-of-adamkiewicz">artery of Adamkiewicz</a> usually between T9 to T12</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/cone-artery">cone artery</a> aka <a href="/articles/artery-of-desproges-gotteron">artery of Desproges-Gotteron</a> (branch from <a href="/articles/iliolumbar-artery">iliolumbar arteries</a>) </p></li>
-</ul><p>The anterior spinal artery communicates sporadically with the <a href="/articles/posterior-spinal-arteries">posterior spinal arteries</a> via a pial plexus that encases the cord. At most levels it gives off a <a href="/articles/sulcal-artery">sulcal artery</a> which enters the anterior median fissure. </p><p>See <a href="/articles/spinal-cord-blood-supply">spinal cord blood supply</a>.</p><h4>Variations</h4><p>Variation of the anterior spinal artery origin include<sup>5</sup></p><ul>-<li>duplication / two independent anterior spinal arteries</li>-<li>single origin of anterior spinal artery from unilateral vertebral artery</li>-<li>single or duplicate anterior spinal arteries arising off vascular arcade between vertebral arteries</li>- +</ul><p>The anterior spinal artery communicates sporadically with the <a href="/articles/posterior-spinal-arteries">posterior spinal arteries</a> via a pial plexus that encases the cord. At most levels it gives off a <a href="/articles/sulcal-artery">sulcal artery</a> which enters the anterior median fissure. </p><p>It terminates inferiorly by forming the cruciate anastomosis of the conus medullaris with the posterior spinal arteries<sup>5</sup>.</p><p>See <a href="/articles/spinal-cord-blood-supply">spinal cord blood supply</a>.</p><h4>Variations</h4><p>Variation of the anterior spinal artery origin include<sup>6</sup></p><ul>
- +<li><p>duplication / two independent anterior spinal arteries</p></li>
- +<li><p>single origin of anterior spinal artery from unilateral vertebral artery</p></li>
- +<li><p>single or duplicate anterior spinal arteries arising off vascular arcade between vertebral arteries</p></li>
-<li><a href="/articles/medial-medullary-syndrome">medial medullary syndrome</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/anterior-spinal-artery-syndrome">anterior spinal artery syndrome</a></li>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/medial-medullary-syndrome">medial medullary syndrome</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/anterior-spinal-artery-syndrome">anterior spinal artery syndrome</a></p></li>
References changed:
- 5. R. Shane Tubbs, Mohammadali M. Shoja, Marios Loukas. Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. (2016) ISBN: 9781118430354 - <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN9781118430354">Google Books</a>
- 6. Er U, Fraser K, Lanzino G. The Anterior Spinal Artery Origin: A Microanatomical Study. Spinal Cord. 2007;46(1):45-9. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3102060">doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3102060</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17406375">Pubmed</a>
- 5. U Er, K Fraser, G Lanzino. The anterior spinal artery origin: a microanatomical study. (2008) Spinal Cord. 46 (1): 45. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3102060">doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3102060</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>
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