Histomorphometric comparison of first and fourth part of vertebral artery in Indian Cadaver

• Author Details:   
• Jitendra D. Rawal
• Bhavik D. Doshi
• Maulik D. Patel
• Dhaval V. Patel
• HR Jadav

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Introduction: The brain receives arterial supply from a pair of internal carotid and a pair of vertebral arteries. Vertebral arteries form vertebrobasilar arterial system and supply the hind brain, as lot of vital functions are attributed to the hindbrain so vertebral artery is one the most important muscular artery in the body. As vertebral artery starts from neck region and has extracranial course and the last part of artery has intracranial course, very less is documented about the histological changes and difference between these two parts. So present study was conducted to understand more of vertebral artery microanatomy.
Aim: The aim of the present study is to compare histomorphometric differences between first and fourth part of vertebral artery.
Materials and Method: vertebral arteries were dissected from thirty embalmed cadavers. Transverse sections were taken from first part near the origin and fourth part from the intracranial course. The annuli were stained and histomorphometric study was conducted using image proplus software. Microanatomy of the both the arteries were studied and compared statistically.
Results and Conclusions: Tunica intima thickness is not significantly different in first and fourth part of vertebral artery. Tunica media thickness decreased in intracranial part compared to the first part of vertebral artery. Internal elastic lamina was observed in most of the specimen and tunica media showed predominance of smooth muscle layers, hence histology is similar to the muscular artery. Cross sectional area of tunica media was compared between first and fourth part of vertebral artery using paired t-test and it is found to be significant.

Keywords: Microanatomy, Vertebral artery, Tunica intima, Histomorphometry, Tunica media