The anterior spinal artery runs caudally as a continuous vessel anterior to the anterior median fissure and terminates in a markedly tapered manner at the filum terminale. Its proximal portion is formed by the anterior spinal arteries arising from the intracranial segments of the vertebral arteries, which unite at the level of the 1st–2nd cervical segments to form a common trunk and supply approximately the anterior 2/3 of the spinal cord.
Aneurysms
Aneurysms of the anterior spinal artery have been described in the literature as rare case reports and represent a rarity; they usually occur together with spinal vascular malformations1 2 3.
Ischemia
Occlusion of the anterior spinal artery can lead to anterior spinal artery syndrome.
References
Yonas, Howard, Sue Patre, and Robert J. White. "Anterior spinal artery aneurysm: case report." Journal of Neurosurgery 53.4 (1980): 570-573. ↩ ↩
Kawamura, Shingo, et al. "Ruptured anterior spinal artery aneurysm: a case report." Surgical neurology 51.6 (1999): 608-612. ↩ ↩
Saunders, F. W., D. Birchard, and J. Willmer. "Spinal artery aneurysm." Surgical neurology 27.3 (1987): 269-272. ↩ ↩