Variations of collateral circulation in internal carotid occlusion

Abstract

Twenty-three cases of internal carotid artery occlusion were evaluated regarding severity of signs and arteriographic evidence of collateral circulation. Those cases with good evidence of opthalmic artery filling in general showed the most disability, while those with little or no disability showed a strong tendency for cross-filling of the anterior cerebral artery. The suggestion is made that the orbital anastomoses offer little in the way of effective collateral circulation to the brain, that they probably play a passive role, and that they may mainly be indicative of inadequacy of the collateral circulation of the circle of Willis when visualized arteriographically.