Sara Bonasia1, Michel Bojanowski2, Thomas Robert3. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, Neurocenter of the Southern Switzerland, Via Tesserete 46, CH-6903, Lugano, Switzerland. 2. Department of Neurosurgery, Notre-Dame Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 3. Department of Neurosurgery, Neurocenter of the Southern Switzerland, Via Tesserete 46, CH-6903, Lugano, Switzerland. thomas.robert43@gmail.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The recurrent artery of Heubner (RAH) is a very fascinating artery for various reasons. The first one is its early development in the embryologic and phylogenic life. The second one is the discrepancy between its diameter and its functional importance and the last but not least reason is the many variations of origin and course of this artery. METHODS: For more than a century, numerous studies furnished important information about variations in origin, course, and parenchymal territory of the RAH. The most important anomaly concerning the RAH is the accessory middle cerebral artery and well-illustrates the complexity of its embryologic development. CONCLUSION: For these reasons, authors provide a review of anatomical variations of this artery that could be encountered with a particular attention given to the history and embryological knowledge.
PURPOSE: The recurrent artery of Heubner (RAH) is a very fascinating artery for various reasons. The first one is its early development in the embryologic and phylogenic life. The second one is the discrepancy between its diameter and its functional importance and the last but not least reason is the many variations of origin and course of this artery. METHODS: For more than a century, numerous studies furnished important information about variations in origin, course, and parenchymal territory of the RAH. The most important anomaly concerning the RAH is the accessory middle cerebral artery and well-illustrates the complexity of its embryologic development. CONCLUSION: For these reasons, authors provide a review of anatomical variations of this artery that could be encountered with a particular attention given to the history and embryological knowledge.