Spinal branches of ascending cervical artery

Spinal branches of the ascending cervical artery are small arterial branches that arise from the ascending cervical artery (a branch of the thyrocervical trunk of the subclavian artery) and enter the vertebral canal through the intervertebral foramina in the cervical region. These branches supply the spinal cord, its meninges, and the vertebral bodies in the cervical spine.

Anatomical Details

The ascending cervical artery ascends on the anterior aspect of the neck, lying medial to the phrenic nerve on the anterior scalene muscle. As it courses superiorly, it gives off small spinal branches at multiple cervical levels. These spinal branches follow the cervical spinal nerves through the intervertebral foramina, where they divide into:

• Anterior and posterior radicular arteries, which travel along the ventral and dorsal nerve roots to supply the spinal cord and contribute to the anterior and posterior spinal arterial systems.

• Meningeal branches, which supply the dura mater and other spinal meninges within the cervical vertebral canal.

• Osseous branches, which supply the cervical vertebral bodies and periosteum.

Clinical Significance

These spinal branches serve as an important collateral blood supply to the cervical spinal cord, particularly when the vertebral artery is compromised (e.g., by stenosis, dissection, or surgical ligation). They form anastomotic connections with branches of the vertebral artery and the deep cervical artery, contributing to the segmental arterial supply of the cervical spine. Knowledge of these branches is essential during cervical spine surgery and interventional procedures to avoid inadvertent vascular injury that could compromise spinal cord perfusion.

The ascending cervical artery and its spinal branches are part of the broader network of segmental arteries that supply the spinal cord at each vertebral level, a system that is critical for maintaining adequate perfusion throughout the length of the spinal cord.