Kowalewska Kamila K, Pilawska Sandra A, Łasocha Bartłomiej, Kwinta Borys, Popiela Tadeusz J, Stachura Krzysztof, Kliś Kornelia M, Krzyżewski Roger M
Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
Department of Neurosurgery and Neurotraumatology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2 Street, 30-688, Kraków, Poland.
Surg Radiol Anat. 2025 Aug 7;47(1):187. doi: 10.1007/s00276-025-03695-9.
The Circle of Willis, located at the base of the brain, is a complex anastomotic ring that ensures blood flow between anterior and posterior cerebral arteries. Its main purpose is to protect against ischemia during vessel failure and sustain cerebral perfusion. Variants occurring in CoW are in over half of the population, usually seen in PComA, as unilateral or bilateral artery hypoplasia or aplasia.
The patient was 47-year-old man without any history of vascular malformations, was admitted to the hospital due to head trauma. Neurological examination revealed no abnormal findings.
During cerebral angiography an accessory middle cerebral artery (MCA), hypoplasia of the A1 segment of the left anterior cerebral artery (ACA), fenestration of the A2 segment of the left anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and fetal variant of posterior cerebral artery (PCA) were found. After 14 days follow-up the patient was discharged home in good general condition without any neurological deficit.
Malformations involving MCA or ACA are closely associated with an elevated risk of aneurysm, whereas those affecting PCA carry a heightened likelihood of TIA or stroke. They most likely derive from embryological development. Therefore, recognizing and understanding vascular deformities is crucial in preoperative planning and risk assessment to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
Willis 环位于脑底部,是一个复杂的吻合环,可确保大脑前动脉和后动脉之间的血流。其主要目的是在血管衰竭时防止缺血并维持脑灌注。Willis 环中出现的变异在超过一半的人群中存在,通常见于后交通动脉,表现为单侧或双侧动脉发育不全或发育异常。
患者为一名 47 岁男性,无血管畸形病史,因头部外伤入院。神经学检查未发现异常。
在脑血管造影期间,发现一条副大脑中动脉(MCA)、左侧大脑前动脉(ACA)A1 段发育不全、左侧大脑前动脉(ACA)A2 段开窗以及大脑后动脉(PCA)胎儿型变异。经过 14 天的随访,患者出院时全身状况良好,无任何神经功能缺损。
涉及 MCA 或 ACA 的畸形与动脉瘤风险升高密切相关,而影响 PCA 的畸形发生短暂性脑缺血发作(TIA)或中风的可能性增加。它们很可能源于胚胎发育。因此,识别和理解血管畸形对于术前规划和风险评估至关重要,以确保患者获得最佳预后。