Ventral spinal artery

The ventral spinal artery is an unpaired longitudinal artery that supplies mainly the ventral and central regions of the spinal cord.

• Origin: It is formed and reinforced by spinal branches of segmental arteries along the vertebral column.

• Course / Relations: It courses longitudinally along the ventral median fissure of the spinal cord.

• Termination / Branches / Anastomoses: It gives off penetrating branches that enter the ventral median fissure and supply mainly the gray matter and adjacent white matter. Cranially, it is continuous with the basilar artery at the foramen magnum and communicates with the arterial plexus on the surface of the spinal cord.

The ventral spinal artery is the main longitudinal artery of the ventral spinal cord. It runs along the ventral median fissure, receives segmental arterial contributions along its course, and gives off branches supplying mainly the central part of the spinal cord. Cranially, it continues into the vertebrobasilar arterial system at the foramen magnum.