Thrombosis of the mesencephalic artery. A clinico-pathological study of two cases and its correlation with the arterial vascularisation.

Two cases of thrombosis of the mesencephalic artery are described : the location of the occlusion and of the infarcted area in the upper mesencephalon is correlated to the clinical syndrome, in particular to the existence or the absence of an oculomotor paralysis. In addition 27 normal brains are examined by means of the translucidation and the radiographic techniques after filling of the arterial system with a colloidal barium sulphate solution. This study supports the subdivision of the upper mesencephalon into five vascular territories and justifies the denomination of mesencephalic artery, which supplies a transitional region between the diencephalon and the brainstem.