The Applied Anatomy Study And Tri-dimensional Visualization Of Vertebral Basilar Artery

Objective:1. To observe the vertebrobasilar artery and its branches’ courses, diameters and theincluded angles in the starting part, offering morphological basis for clinic intervention andvascular image.2. To explore the digital method of vertebrobasilar artery, and to study thetridimensional visualization of the relationship between vertebrobasilar artery and itsneighboring bony structrues.Materials and Methods:1. Gross Anatomy: Layer by layer dissecting head, neck and chest of9adultspecimens affused with red latex, recording the outer diameter, courses, branches,distribution, connection and accompanying at the starting place of vertebrobasilar artery.2. Vascular casting: After affused carotid artery with red latex, observe the origin,course, branches, distribution, anastomosis, and accompaning of the vertebrobasilar arteryin3normal adult corroded specimens.3. Anagiographical and tridimensional reconstruction: using a fresh specimen of anadult’s head and neck chest affused with CMC/LO from carotid artery to observe thetridimensional relationship of skull profile, and vessels in skull, after their beingtridimensionally reconstructed and its being visualized by continuous CT scanning digitalinputting software of Mimics.Results:1. The anotomical characteristics of vertebrobasilar artery⑴Vertebral artery starts from subclavian artery and goes into skull through6-1 cervical vertebral, and finally forms basilar artery at sulcus bulbopontinus. Vertebral arterycan be divided into4parts according to its course, with the former3periods called formerpart, and the fourth period called latter part. The pipe diameter of the left part at the startingplace of vertebral artery is4.3±0.02mm and that of the right one3.6±0.06mm. The pipediameter of the left part of the vertebral artery going through the6thcervical vertebral’stransverse foremen is3.9±0.03mm and that of the right part is2.9±0.05mm. The degreeof the left included angle between subclavian artery and vertebral is91.7±0.90mm andthat of the right one is115.8±1.55.Posterior cerebal lower artery is the biggest branch of vertebral artery among those incranial cavity. The outer pipe diameter of posterior cerebal lower artery is1.5±0.12mmand that of the right one is1.2±0.16mm and their starting places and trips are variable.14.1%of them have contact with vagus and glosssopharyngeal nerve. The degree of theleft included angle between posterior cerebal lower artery and vertebral artery is118.5±3.75and that of the right one77.6±7.92.⑵The basilar artery is formed in the joint part of sulcus bulbopontinus on both sidesof vertebral artery, going upwards to upper basilar side of its ventral side separating as theleft and right posterior cerebral arteries. The basilar artery’s trip is variable and its length is27.1±2.55mm, and its outer diameter is3.8±0.51mm.①Anterior cerebellar lower artery mostly starts fom BA’s starting part, and its leftouter diameter is0.8±0.10mm and that of the right one2.01±0.09mm with27.6%of itselfcontacted or pressed by root of facial nerve. The degree of the included angle on the leftside between anterior cerebellar lower artery and brobasilar artery is91.6±2.37and that ofthe right one is27.1±2.66.②Anterior cerebellar upper artery starts from the nearer finishing part of basilarartery in the upper part ventral side of pons. The left outer diameter of the anteriorcerebellar upper artery is1.4±0.05mm, and that of the right one is1.2±0.05mm with35.5%of itself contacted by trigeminal nerve. The degree of the left included anglebetween anterior cerebellar uppper artery and basilar artery is89.5±4.08and that of the right one is100.2±4.89.③Posterior cerebral artery is finishing branch of basilar artery, with its outer diameterat starting part2.3±0.16mm and that of the right one is1.9±0.08mm. The degreee of theleft included angle between posterior cerebral artery and basilar artery is93.9±3.43mmand that of its right one is130.8±3.16.2. The vascular characteristics shown by different studying methods⑴Macromicrodissection: after normal affusing, blood vessels seem to be full,unblocked, with its trip clear, easily separated, and it is easy to observe the subbranches,distribution and the outer diameter of blood vessels.⑵Vascular casting: the blood vessels of vertebrobasilar artery are close, full withnormal thickness and density. The speciemen shows normal color and tangibility.⑶Tridimensional visualization: reconstructing the visible tridimensional model ofvertebrobasilar artery and its main branches, showing the spatial position of vertebrobasilarand its relationship with its neighboring organizations, offering morphological basis for theclarification of the causes for the disease of vertebrobasilar artery and to the choice ofoperation methods and pre-operation management.Conclusion:1. Both vertebral artery in every part out of skull and the data of the each branches’spipe diameter, the starting included angle of vertebrobasilar artery have statistcallysignificant, should select personalied catheter, guide wire when intervention withintubation of the above-mentioned blood vessel in clinical.2. The tridimensional reconstruction of vertebrobasilar artery offering direct image datafor the treatment of the disease related to vertebrobasilar artery.