Postcentral arterial branch
Ramus arteriosus postcentralis
- Synonym: Retrocorporeal branch; Postcentral artery
- Related terms: Postcentral branch
Definition
The postcentral arterial branch (Retrocorporeal branch; Postcentral artery) refers to the ventral arterial ramus that arises from a spinal branche of a posterior intercostal artery or a lumbar artery and courses along the posterior aspect of the vertebral body, within the epidural space, and anastomoses with its contralateral counterpart and with postcentral branches from adjacent vertebral levels, forming a longitudinal arterial network on the posterior surface of the vertebral bodies.
This branch supplies the vertebral body (posterior cortex and cancellous bone), the epidural space, and the ventral dura mater.
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