Branches of the anterior communicating artery. Microsurgical anatomy.

The anterior communicating artery (ACoA) and its branches were examined in 22 human brains after injecting Indian ink or methylmethacrylate. The ACoA branches were divided into the small and the large. Small branches were from 1 to 5 in number (mean 2), and from 70 to 270 microns in diameter (mean 151 microns). Seventy-six percent of the branches originated directly from the ACoA. They tended to arise closer to the left than to the right anterior cerebral artery. Fourteen percent of them arose from the junctional site of the ACoA with the anterior cerebral arteries, and 10% from the site of origin of the subcallosal artery. Large branches were identified as the median artery of the corpus callosum, and the subcallosal artery, respectively. The former vessel was present in 9% of the patients, and the latter in 91%. The subcallosal artery was from 320 to 640 microns in size (mean 486 microns). It tended to arise from the middle of the ACoA. In spite of the very frequent anastomoses involving the ACoA branches, care must be taken to avoid injury to these important vessels during operations of the ACoA aneurysms.