Vasculature of the upper thoracal-lower cervical regions of the spinal cord inguinea pig

ABSTRACTMechanical traumas or pathologies that result compression that occur inupper thoracal and lower cervical part of the spinal cord causes neuraldeficiencies. It is known that the vascular structure of the spinal cord isassociated with spinal cord injuries direct or indirect ways. Thevasculaturization of the lower cervical and upper thoracal part of the spinalcord is poor, so that this region is important during surgical procedures in orderto preserve vascular structures.In our study we aim to form the vascular corrosion casts of polyesterresin of the upper thoracal-lower cervical region in 20 male adult Guinea pigs.After perfusion and fixation of the animals, polyester resin was injected. Afterpolymerization of polyester resin the vascular corrosion casts macerated, thenexposed vascular corrosion casts examined by stereomicroscope andphotographed.The vascular structure of the upper thoracal-lower cervical of the spinalcord in Guinae pigs resembles that in man. Howerver, important differencesexist. In our study we reveal out that the spinal cord of the Guinea pig issupplied by a. spinalis anterior, a. spinalis posterior, a. spinalis anterolateralis,a. spinalis posterolateralis and a. vertebralis. We observed that vascularcirculation of the upper thoracal and lower cervical of the medulla spinalis ofthe Guine pig is poor than the other regions of the spinal cord. This poorcirculation in the upper thoracal and lower cervical of the spinal cord can becompansed by small anastomatic vessels between a. spinalis anterior, a.spinalis posterior, a. spinalis anterolateralis and a. spinalis posterolateralis. Wethink that our findings can be a source for researchers in the further studiesand also can give an idea about the vasculature of this region on humans andcan be useful for surgical procedures.Key words; spinal cord, vascular structure, Guinea pig, corrosion cast,collateral circulation, steremicroscope.