Unilateral and Bilateral Aplasia of the Anterior Cerebral Artery in the Presence of Their Vascular Sources

Abstract

Purpose In continuation of our previous studies of vascular components of the cerebral arterial circle, our goal was to investigate the cases of aplasia of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA). Methods The macro- and microdissection of the target human brain arteries was applied under the magnifying glass. Each case was photographed and diagramatically represented in the workbook. The length and the outer diameter of the corresponding arteries on the photos were measured using a computer software program. Results There were 2/388 cases of ACA aplasia―unilaterally in one case (0.25%), and bilaterally in the other (0.25%). These two cases belonged to a male and a female adult, autopsied due to the homicide and myocardial infarction, aged 68 and 80, respectively. Except for the variations of the posterior communicating artery on one or both sides, and several arteries of the vertebrobasilar system, the instance of cerebral pathology was not recorded in either of these cases. We compared the recent cases with similar literature cases obtained from a number of retrospective studies and single reports. Conclusion Summarizing available literature cases of unilateral ACA aplasia, and taking into account that the presented cases of unilateral and bilateral ACA aplasia were not accompanied with cerebral pathology, we can nevertheless to underline the appearance of an aneurysm of the opposite ACA in more than a quarter of the studied cases, more typically on the right side and in male gender. The recent case of bilateral ACA aplasia which has been the second case discovered so far, represents a true rarity.