Continued Patency of Canine Lingual-Basilar System

A canine lingual-basilar system has been helpful to study the use of extracranial vessels for perfusion of the cerebral circulation. This experimental system was patent in all nine long-term animals and enlarged with time. The principles derived from this experimental investigation have been applied to six patients in whom the superficial temporal artery was used to enhance cerebral perfusion by anastomosis to a cortical branch of the middle cerebral artery. The first four patients have had follow-up arteriography which demonstrates patency of all five new vascular channels.