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Proatlantal intersegmental artery: a review of normal and pathological features

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Abstract

Objects

Primitive carotid–vertebral and carotid–basilar anastomoses are formed early during human embryogenesis at approximately 24 days. From cephalic to caudal direction, these anastomoses are cranial extensions of the primitive internal carotid, trigeminal, otic, hypoglossal and proatlantal intersegmental arteries.

Materials and methods

Normal and/or abnormal morphofunctional aspects of prenatal and postnatal forms of the proatlantal intersegmental artery, from the 24th day of gestation to postnatal eight decades, are described according to personal and literature data. Many (ab) normal carotid–vertebral anastomoses are also marked in differential diagnosis of the proatlantal intersegmental artery.

Conclusions

The proatlantal intersegmental artery maintains the posterior circulation until the vertebral arteries are fully developed between the seventh and eighth gestational weeks. When this artery fails to obliterate, it becomes persistent one. The proatlantal intersegmental artery, most commonly, is an incidental finding or it may be of clinical significance in some patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Blvd. “Dr Zoran Đinđić” 81, 18000, Niš, Serbia

    Ljiljana Vasović, Ivan Jovanović, Stojanka Arsić & Slobodan Vlajković

  2. Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia

    Marijola Mojsilović

  3. Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia

    Zlatibor Anđelković

  4. Clinic of Neurosurgery, Clinical Center Niš, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia

    Zoran Milenković

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  1. Ljiljana Vasović
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Correspondence to Ljiljana Vasović.

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Vasović, L., Mojsilović, M., Anđelković, Z. et al. Proatlantal intersegmental artery: a review of normal and pathological features. Childs Nerv Syst 25, 411–421 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-008-0765-7

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