Suna DİLBAZ, Mehmet YILDIRIM, Melih ÜÇER, Fahrettin Fatih KESMEZACAR, Yunus AYDIN
Comprehensive Medicine - 2026;18(1):12-19
Objective: The microsurgical anatomy of the posterior circulation is complex and variable. Surgeries performed close to this area are accepted to be highly risky due to important vascular and neural structures. In order to safely and securely treat pathologies in that area, understanding the microsurgical anatomy of the posterior circulation carries tremendous importance for neurosurgeons. Materials and Methods: In order to reveal the characteristic of vertebrobasilar artery branches of people living in Turkey, we analyzed the arteries of 23 cadaveric brains (46 hemispheres) at the dissection laboratories of the Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Anatomy Department. The diameter of the vertebral artery, the fusion angle of vertebral arteries, the diameter of the basilar artery were examined. Results: 13 vertebrobasilar junctions were located across the pontomedullary sulcus, 5 were located below the pontomedullary sulcus, and 5 were above the pontomedullary sulcus. The average diameter measured 5.11 mm, the smallest being 3 mm and the largest measuring 6 mm. Out of all analyzed basilar arteries, only one revealed a fenestration. All results were compared with previous studies and were found to be coherent. Conclusion: Damage to the vertebral artery, basilar artery or any of their branches during surgery may stay asymptomatic. However, the damage may also result in cranial nerve paralysis or go as far as coma due to ischemia. Understanding the anatomy of that area well can minimize this risk of complications and further avoid them.
