Posterior communicating artery

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Artery: Posterior communicating artery

Schematic representation of the arterial circle and arteries of the brain. The posterior communicating arteries (middle of figure) connect the internal carotid arteries' trifurcations and the posterior cerebral arteries.

The brain and the arteries of the base of the brain. The temporal pole of the cerebrum and a portion of the cerebellar hemisphere have been removed on the right side. Inferior aspect (viewed from below).
Latin	arteria cerebri communicans posterior
Gray's	subject #146 573

In human anatomy, the posterior communicating artery is a one of a pair of right-sided and left-sided blood vessels in the circle of Willis. It connects the three cerebral arteries of the same side. Anteriorly, it is one portion of the terminal trifurcation of the internal carotid artery. The anterior cerebral artery and the middle cerebral artery are the other two branches of the trifurcation. Posteriorly, it communicates with the posterior cerebral artery.

Pathology

Aneurysms of the posterior communicating artery are the second most common circle of Willis aneurysm^[1] (the most common are anterior communicating artery aneurysms) and can lead to oculomotor nerve palsy.^[2]

^ Beck J, Rohde S, Berkefeld J, Seifert V, Raabe A. Size and location of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms measured by 3-dimensional rotational angiography. Surg Neurol. 2006 Jan;65(1):18-25; discussion 25-7. PMID 16378842.
^ Dimopoulos VG, Fountas KN, Feltes CH, Robinson JS, Grigorian AA. Literature review regarding the methodology of assessing third nerve paresis associated with non-ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms. Neurosurg Rev. 2005 Oct;28(4):256-60. PMID 15947958.

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sup. thyroid	superior laryngeal – sternocleidomastoid branch – infrahyoid branch – cricothyroid branch – glandular branches

asc. pharyngeal	posterior meningeal – pharyngeal branches – inferior tympanic

lingual	suprahyoid – dorsal lingual – deep lingual – sublingual

facial	cervical branches (ascending palatine, tonsillar, submental, glandular) – facial branches (inferior labial, superior labial / nasal septum, lateral nasal, angular)

occipital	sternocleidomastoid – meningeal – occipital – auricular – descending

post. auricular	stylomastoid – stapedial – auricular – occipital

sup. temporal	transverse facial – middle temporal (zygomatico-orbital) – anterior auricular – frontal – parietal

maxillary	1st part / mandibular: anterior tympanic – deep auricular – middle meningeal (superior tympanic, petrosal) – accessory meningeal – inferior alveolar (mental, mylohyoid) 2nd part / pterygoid: to muscles of mastication (deep temporal, pterygoid, masseteric) – buccal 3rd part / pterygopalatine: posterior superior alveolar – infraorbital (anterior superior alveolar) – descending palatine (greater palatine, lesser palatine) – artery of the pterygoid canal – sphenopalatine (posterior septal branches, posterior lateral nasal)

CC/IC

cervical	carotid sinus

petrous	Vidian – caroticotympanic

cavernous/ ophthalmic	orbital group: posterior ethmoidal – anterior ethmoidal (anterior septal, anterior lateral nasal, anterior meningeal) – lacrimal (lateral palpebral) – medial palpebral – terminal (supraorbital, supratrochlear, dorsal nasal) ocular group: central retinal – ciliary (short posterior, long posterior, anterior) – hypophysial (superior, inferior)

cerebral/Willis	ACA (anterior communicating) – MCA (anterolateral central, lenticulostriate) – posterior communicating – anterior choroidal

vertebral artery	meningeal – spinal (posterior, anterior) – cerebellar (PICA) basilar: pontine – labyrinthine – cerebellar (AICA, SCA) – cerebral (PCA)

thyrocervical trunk	inferior thyroid: inferior laryngeal – tracheal – esophageal – ascending cervical – pharyngeal – glandular branches transverse cervical: superficial branch – deep branch / dorsal scapular suprascapular: acromial branch

costocervical trunk	deep cervical

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