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The size of the anterior spinal artery in relation to the arteria medullaris magna anterior in humans
Author(s) -
Zhang Tao,
Harstad Lynn,
Murray Michael J.,
Parisi Joseph E.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
clinical anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1098-2353
pISSN - 0897-3806
DOI - 10.1002/ca.980080507
Subject(s) - medicine , cadaveric spasm , spinal cord , blood flow , anatomy , conus medullaris , surgery , psychiatry
We studied the anterior spinal artery (ASA) in 25 cadaveric human spinal cords to determine the cross‐sectional area of the ASA cephalad and caudal to the entry of the arteria medullaris magna anterior (AMMA). Spinal cords were removed en bloc and latex was injected into the AMMA. The preparations were then fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin, sectioned, mounted, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The diameter and cross‐sectional area of the ASA 1 cm above and 1 cm below the entry of the AMMA were measured. The mean radius of the ASA above the entry of AMMA was 0.14 ± 0.03 mm compared to 0.28 ± 0.05 mm below the entry of the AMMA ( P < 0.001). According to Poiseuille's equation, the resistance to blood flow in the ASA cephalad to the AMMA would be 14.8 times greater than the resistance to blood flow caudal to the ANIMA. This resistance could affect the distribution of blood flow in the distal spinal cord whenever flow in the AMMA or distal ASA is altered. © 1995 WiIey‐Liss, Inc.