Hypoplastic plexiform right anterior cerebral artery and absence of anterior communicating artery—A case report

Anterior cerebral artery is the smaller terminal branch of the internal carotid artery. It is one of the arteries involved in the formation of the arterial circle of Willis at the base of the brain. Its hypoplasia or absence can cause serious problems during neurosurgery or in the vascular dynamics of the brain. We found a rare variation of the right anterior cerebral artery during the dissection of the brain. The initial segment of the artery was hypoplastic and plexiform. The anterior communicating artery was absent. The right and left anterior cerebral arteries fused with each other for a distance of about 1 cm. The course, size and distribution of the distal part of the right anterior cerebral artery were normal. This case may be of special importance to neurosurgeons and radiologists. Obstruction or rupture of the left anterior cerebral artery in such cases might result in infarct of the medial surfaces of both cerebral hemispheres.