Microsurgical anatomy of the maxillary artery for extracranial-intracranial bypass in the pterygopalatine segment of the maxillary artery

The extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass using the maxillary artery (MA) has been successfully completed using a radial artery (RA) graft but the complicated anatomy and narrow exposure make it difficult. The purpose of this article is to define the microsurgical exposure of the MA through the middle fossa and describe the branches, diameter, and length of the MA available for the EC-IC bypass in the sphenopalatine fossa and anterior part of the infratemporal fossa. 5 cadaveric specimens were dissected bilaterally (10 MA dissections) to define the microsurgical anatomy of the MA through an intracranial approach. The exposable branches of the MA at the level of the infratemporal and sphenopalatine fossae were the anterior deep temporal, posterior superior alveolar, and infraorbital arteries. The origin of each branch could be exposed. The available section of the MA for use as a donor vessel is between the origin of the anterior deep temporal artery and the infraorbital artery. The mean exposable length of the MA was 19.4 mm. The mean outer diameter of the donor MA was 3.2 mm. Tension-free EC-IC bypass was possible using a RA graft between the MA and the middle cerebral artery, the MA and the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA), or the MA and the petrous ICA. Exposure of the MA at the infratemporal and sphenopalatine fossae is complicated but provides length and diameter suitable as a donor artery for the EC-IC bypass. Clin. Anat. 31:724-733, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.