Arterial Supply
- Spinal Arteries
Anterior (1) & Posterior (2) Spinal
Artery
From Vertebral artery
- Radicular
Arteries ----- Segmental arteries
From Vertebral, Ascending Cervical, Intercostal
and Lumbar Artery
Venous Drainage
- Longitudinal & Radicular Veins
to Intervertebral
veins ---- to Internal Vertebral Venous Plexus
to external vertebral venous plexus ---- to segmental veins
Adamkiwicz artery
Blood Supply to the Spinal Cord and Brain Stem
The brain is one of the most metabolically active organs
in the body, receiving 17% of the
total cardiac output and about 20%
of the oxygen available in the body.
The brain receives it’s blood from two pairs of arteries, the carotid and vertebral. About 80% of the brain’s blood supply
comes from the carotid, and the remaining 20% from the vertebral.
The Vertebrobasilar System
The vertebral arteries originate from the subclavian artery,and ascend
through the transverse foramen of the upper six cervical vertebra. At the upper
margin of the Axis (C2) it moves outward and upward to the transverse foramen
of the Atlas (C1). It then moves backwards along the articular process of atlas
into a deep groove, passes beneath the atlanto-occipital ligament and enters
the foramen magnum. The arteries then run forward and unite at the caudal
border of the pons to form the basilar artery.
The Spinal Cord receives its
blood supply from two major sources;
1. Branches of the vertebral arteries, the major source of blood
supply, via the anterior spinal and posterior spinal
arteries.
2. Multiple radicular arteries, derives sporadically from segmental arteries The Medulla, Pons and Midbrain areas receive
their major sources of blood supply from several important branches of the Basilar
artery
Branches of the Vertebral Artery
1. Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery (PICA), the largest branch of the vertebral, arises
at the caudal end of the medulla on each side.
Runs a course winding between the
medulla and cerebellum
Distribution:
a. posterior part of
cerebellar hemisphere
b. inferior vermis
c. central nuclei of
cerebellum
d. choroid plexus of 4th
ventricle
e. medullary branches to dorsolateral medulla
2. Anterior Spinal Artery, formed from a Y-shaped union of a branch from
each vertebral artery. Runs down the ventral median fissure the length
of the cord.
Distribution:
a. supplies the ventral 2/3 of
the spinal cord.
3. Posterior Spinal Arteries (2), originate from each vertebral artery or
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar on each
side of the Medulla. Descends along the dorsolateral sulcus.
Distribution: supplies the dorsal 1/3 of the cord of each side.
4. Posterior meningeal, one or two branches that originate from the
vertebral opposite the foramen magnum. This branch moves into the dura matter of the cranium
5. Bulbar branches, composed of several smaller arteries which originate
from the vertebral and it’s branches. These branches head for the pons, medulla and cerebellum
Branches of the Vertebral Artery
Spinal Cord Blood Supply
Ventral Dorsal
Anterior Spinal Artery, provides sulcal branches which penetrate the
ventral median fissure and supply the ventral 2/3 of the spinal cord.
Posterior Spinal Arteries, each descends along the dorsolateral surface
of the spinal cord and supplies the dorsal 1/3.
Radicular arteries, originating from segmental arteries at various
levels, which divide into anterior and posterior radicular arteries as they
move along ventral and dorsal roots to reach the spinal cord. Here they
reinforce spinal arteries and anastomose with their branches.
From these varied sources of blood supply, a series of circumferential
anastomotic channels are formed around the spinal cord,
called the arterial vasocorona, from which
short branches penetrate and supply the lateral parts of the cord
The radicular arteries provide the main blood supply to the cord at the
thorasic, lumbar and sacral segments. There are a greater number on the
posterior (10-23) than anterior (6-10 only) side of the cord.
One radicular artery, noticeably larger than the others, is called the artery
of Adamkiewicz, or the artery of the lumbar enlargement. Usually located with the lower thorasic or upper lumbar
spinal segment on the left side of
the spinal cord
The spinal cord lacks adequate collateral supply in some areas, making these
regions prone to ischemia after vascular occlusions. The upper
Thorasic (T1-T4) and first lumbar segments are the most vulnerable
regions of the cord.
There are several arteries that reinforce the spinal
cord blood supply and are termed segmental
arteries
1. The Vertebral arteries, spinal branches which
are present in the upper cervical (~C3-C5)
levels
2. Ascending Cervical arteries, present in the lower
cervical areas
3. Posterior Intercostal, present in the mid-thorasic region
4. First Lumbar arteries, present in the mid-lumbar regions
The spinal veins arranged in an irregular pattern.
The anterior spinal veins run along the midline and the ventral roots.
The posterior spinal veins run along the midline and the dorsal roots. These
are drained by the anterior and posterior radicular veins. These in turn empty
into an epidural venous plexus which connects into an external vertebral venous
plexus, the vertebral, intercostal and lumbar veins.
Occlusion of the anterior spinal artery may lead to the anterior cord syndrome, characterized by;
1. Loss of ipsilateral motor function, due to damage to ventral gray
matter and the ventral corticospinal tract.
2. Loss of contralateral pain and temperature sensation, due to damage
to the
spinothalamic pathway
Occlusion of the posterior spinal arteries may lead to the rare posterior cord syndrome,
characterized by;
1. Ipsilateral motor deficits, due to damage to corticospinal tract
2. Ipsilateral loss of tactile discrimination, position sense,
vibratory sense, due to damage to the dorsal columns
Blood Supply to the brain stem
The brain stem (medulla, pons midbrain) receives the bulk
of its blood supply from the vertebrobasilar
system. Except for the labyrynthine
branch, all other branches supply
the brain stem and cerebellum
The posterior cerebral has only a small contribution, its
main target being the posterior
cerebral hemispheres
Branches of the Basilar Artery
1. Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Arteries (AICA), originates near the lower border of the Pons just past the union of the vertebral arteries.
Distribution:
a. supplies anterior inferior
surface and underlying white matter of cerebellum
b. contributes to supply of
central cerebellar nuclei
c. also contributes to upper medulla and lower
pontine areas
2. Pontine arteries, numerous smaller branches that can be
subdivided into Paramedian and Circumferential
pontine arteries. The
Circumferential can be further subdivided into Long and Short pontine
arteries.
Distribution:
a. paramedian pontine - basal
pons
b. circumferential pontine -
lateral pons and middle cerebellar peduncle, floor of fourth ventricle and pontine tegmentum
3. Superior Cerebellar arteries, originates near
the end of the Basilar artery, close to the Pons-Midbrain junction. Runs along dorsal surface of cerebellum
Distribution:
a. cerebellar cortex, white
matter and central nuclei
b. Additional contribution to rostral pontine
tegmentum, superior cerebellar peduncle and inferior colliculus
4. Posterior cerebral arteries, the terminal branches
of the Basilar artery. They appear
as a bifurcation of the Basilar, just past the Superior Cerebellar arteries
and the oculomotor nerve. Curves
around the midbrain and reaches the
medial surface of the cerebral hemisphere
beneath the splenium of the corpus
callosum
Distribution:
a. mainly neocortex and
diencephalon
b. some contribution to interpeduncular plexus
5. Labyrynthine arteries, may branch from the basilar, but
variable in its origin. Supplies the region of the inner
ear
Blood Supply to the Medulla
The Medulla is supplied by the;
1. Anterior spinal artery, sends blood to the paramedian region of the
caudal medulla.
2. Posterior spinal artery, supplies rostral areas, including the
gracile and cuneate fasiculi and nuclei, along with dorsal areas of the
inferior cerebellar peduncle.
3. Vertebral artery, bulbar branches supply areas of both the caudal
and rostral medulla.
4. Posterior inferior cerebellar artery, supplies lateral medullary
areas.
Occlusion of branches of the anterior spinal artery will produce
a inferior alternating hemiplegia (aka medial medullary syndrome), characterized
by;
1. A contralateral hemiplegia of the limbs, due to damage to the pyramids
or the corticospinal fibers
2. A contralateral loss of position sense, vibratory sense and discriminative
touch, due to damage to the medial leminiscus
3. An ipsilateral deviation and paralysis of the tongue, due to damage
to the hypoglossal nucleus or nerve
Occasionally, these symptoms will develop after occlusion of the vertebral
artery before gives off its branches to the anterior spinal artery
The posterior spinal arteries supply the gracile and cuneate fasiculi and nuclei, spinal
trigeminal tract and nucleus, portions of the inferior cerebellar peduncle
The vertebral arteries supply the pyramids at the level of the Pons, the
inferior olive complex, the medullary reticular formation, solitary
motor nucleus dorsal motor nucleus of the Vagus (cranial
nerve X), hypoglossal nucleus (cranial nerve XII). spinal
trigeminal tract, spinothalamic
tract spinocerebellar tract
The posterior inferior cerebellar arteries (PICA) supply spinothalamic
tract, spinal trigeminal nucleus and tract, fibers from the nucleus ambiguous, dorsal
motor nucleus of the Vagus
(cranial nerve X) inferior cerebellar peduncle
Occlusion of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (or contributing vertebral)
will produce a lateral medullary
syndrome or Wallenberg’s
syndrome, characterized by;
1. A contralateral loss of pain and temperature sense, due to damage
to the anterolateral system (spinothalamic tract)
2. An ipsilateral loss of pain and temperature sense on the face, due to
damage to the spinal trigeminal nucleus and tract
3. Vertigo, nausea and vomiting, due to damage to the vestibular nuclei
4. Hornor’s syndrome, (miosis [contraction of the pupil], ptosis
[sinking of the eyelid], decreased sweating), due to damage
to the descending hypothalamolspinal tract
The Pons is supplied by the;
1. The Basilar artery, contributions of this main artery can be further
subdivided;
a. paramedian
branches, to medial pontine region
b. short
circumferential branches, supply anterolateral pons
c. long
circumferential branches, run laterally over the anterior surface
of the Pons to anastomose with branches of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA).
2. Some reinforcing contributions by the anterior inferior cerebellar
and superior
cerebellar arteries
Additional branches of the Basilar artery can be found
branching off within the region
of the Pons;
1. Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Arteries (AICA), originates near the
lower border of the Pons just past the union of the
vertebral arteries.
Distribution:
a. supplies anterior inferior
surface and underlying white matter of cerebellum
b. contributes to supply of
central cerebellar nuclei
c. also contributes to upper medulla and lower pontine areas
2. Superior Cerebellar arteries, originates near the end of the Basilar
artery, close to the Pons-Midbrain
junction. Runs along dorsal
surface of cerebellum
Distribution:
a. cerebellar cortex, white
matter and central nuclei
b. Additional contribution to rostral pontine tegmentum, superior cerebellar
peduncle and inferior colliculus
2. Labyrynthine arteries, may branch from the basilar, but variable in
its origin. Supplies the region of the inner ear.
Divides into two branches;
a. anterior vestibular
b. common cochlear
The labyrinthine has a variable origin, according to a study done by
Wende et. al., 1975, (sample size
of 238) the artery originated from;
1. Basilar (16%)
2. AICA (45%)
3. Superior cerebellar (25%)
4. PICA (5%)
5. Remaining 9% were of duplicate origin
The paramedian branches of the Basilar artery supplies the paramedian regions
of the Pons, this includes corticospinal fibers (basis pedunculi), the
medial leminiscus, abducens nerve and nucleus (cranial nerve VI) , pontine
reticular area, and periaquaductal gray areas
The paramedian branches of the Basilar artery supply corticospinal
fibers, the medial leminiscus, abducens nerve and nucleus (cranial nerve VI) , pontine
reticular area, periaquaductal
gray areas
Obstruction of the paramedian pontine arteries will produce a middle
alternating hemiplegia (also
termed medial pontine syndrome) which is characterized by;
1. Hemiplegia of the contralateral arm and leg, due to damage to the corticospinal
tracts
2. Contralateral loss of tactile discrimination, vibratory and position sense,
due to damage to the medial leminiscus
3. Ipsilateral lateral rectus muscle paralysis, due to damage to the abducens
nerve or tract (can cause diplopia “double vision”)
The short circumferential branches supply, pontine
nuclei, pontocerebellar fibers, medial leminiscus the
anterolateral system (spinothalamic fibers)
The long circumferential branches supply, along with the anterior
inferior cerebellar (caudally), and superior cerebellar artery (rostrally).
middle and superior cerebellar peduncles,
vestibular and cochlear nerves and nuclei, facial
motor nucleus (cranial nerve VII) trigeminal
nucleus (cranial nerve V) spinal trigeminal nucleus and tract (cranial
nerve V), hypothalamospinal fibers, the
anterolateral system (spinothalamic) pontine
reticular nuclei.
Occlusions of long branches circumferential branches of the basilar artery
produce a lateral pontine syndrome, characterized by;
1. Ataxia, due to damage to the cerebral peduncles (middle and
superior)
2. Vertigo, nausea, nystagmus, deafness, tinitus, vomiting, due to damage
to vestibular and cochlear nuclei and nerves
3. Ipsilateral pain and temperature deficits from face, due to damage
to the
spinal trigeminal nucleus and tract
4. Contralateral loss of pain and temperature sense from the body, due
to damage to the anterolateral system (spinothalamic)
5. Ipsilateral paralysis of facial muscles and masticatory muscles, due to
damage to the facial and trigeminal motor nuclei (cranial nerves VII and V)
Blood Supply to the Midbrain
The major blood supply to the midbrain is derived from branches of
the basilar artery;
1. Posterior cerebral artery, forms a plexus with the posterior communicating
arteries in the interpeduncular fossa, branches from this plexus supply a wide area if the midbrain
2. Superior cerebellar artery, supplies dorsal areas around the central
gray and inferior colliculus with support from branches of the posterior cerebral artery.
3. Quadrigeminal, (some posterior choroidal) a branch of the posterior cerebral,
provides support for the tectum (superior and inferior colliculi)
4. Posterior communicating artery, derived from the internal carotid, joins
the posterior cerebral to form portions of the circle of Willis (arterial
circle). Contributes to the interpeduncular plexus
5. Branches of these arteries are best understood when grouped into paramedian,
short circumferential and long circumferential
The paramedian arteries, derived from the posterior communicating and posterior
cerebral, form a plexus in the interpeduncular fossa, enter the through
the posterior perforated substance, this system supplies
- raphe region,
- oculomotor complex,
- medial longitudinal fasiculus,
- red nucleus
- substantia nigra
- crus cerebri
Occlusion of midbrain paramedian branches produces a medial midbrain
or superior alternating hemiplegia (or Weber’s syndrome) characterized by;
1. Contralateral hemiplegia of the limbs, and contralateral face and
tongue due to damage to the descending motor tracts
(crus cerebri).
2. Ipsilateral deficits in eye motor activity, caused by damage to the oculomotor
nerve
The short circumferential arteries originate from the interpeduncular plexus
and portions of the posterior cerebral and superior cerebellar arteries, this system supplies
- crus cerebri,
- substantia nigra
- midbrain tegmentum
The long circumferential branches originate mainly from the posterior cerebral
artery, one important branch, the quadrigeminal (collicular artery) supplies the superior and inferior
colliculi.
The posterior choroidal arteries originate near the basilar bifurcation
into the posterior cerebral arteries. In addition to providing reinforement to the midbrain short and long circumferential arteries they move forward to supply portions of the diencephalon and the choroid plexus of the third and
lateral ventricles
Other Clinical Points
Substantial infarcts within the Pons are generally rapidly fatal, due
to failure of central control of respiration Infarcts within the ventral portion of the Pons can produce paralysis of all movements except the eyes.
Patient is conscious but can
communicate only with eyes. LOCKED-IN-SYNDROME
