Tritsch Tara, Shoja Mohammadali M, Tubbs R Isaiah, Tubbs R Shane
Department of Medical Education, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, United States.
Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, United States.
Surg Neurol Int. 2024 Feb 23;15:59. doi: 10.25259/SNI_962_2023. eCollection 2024.
The internal and external carotid arterial systems are generally separate regarding branching patterns. However, these two systems do form collateral circulations with their terminal parts. On rare occasions, branches that belong to one arterial system may arise from the other.
We present a rare variant of a middle meningeal artery, generally derived from the external carotid artery, arising from the internal carotid artery and entering the floor of the middle cranial fossa by traveling through a small unnamed foramen. This anatomy and embryology and other variants of the middle meningeal and petrous carotid systems are discussed.
Embryologically, this variant anatomy signifies an atypical regression of the distal stapedial artery and its connection to the external carotid artery. Surgeons who operate on the skull base, vascular interventionalists, and radiologists should be aware of this potential anatomical variation of the skull base.
颈内动脉和颈外动脉系统在分支模式上通常是分开的。然而，这两个系统确实在其终末部分形成了侧支循环。在极少数情况下，属于一个动脉系统的分支可能起源于另一个动脉系统。
我们呈现了一种罕见的脑膜中动脉变异情况，该动脉通常起源于颈外动脉，而此例起源于颈内动脉，并通过一个小的无名孔进入中颅窝底部。本文讨论了这种解剖结构、胚胎学以及脑膜中和岩部颈动脉系统的其他变异情况。
从胚胎学角度来看，这种变异的解剖结构意味着镫骨动脉远端及其与颈外动脉连接的非典型退化。在颅底进行手术的外科医生、血管介入专家和放射科医生应了解这种颅底潜在的解剖变异情况。
