88 PRECEREBRAL AND CEREBRAL VESSEL ANATOMY IN THE PIG

The anatomy of the precerebral and cerebral vessels are not identical in humans and pigs. Vessel anatomy in newborn pigs were studied by dissection and angiography. It is possible by ligation of the external carotid, occipital and condylic artery to transform the common carotid into a precerebral artery for continous neasurements of cerebral blood flow. The pig has a large rete mirabilis between the internal carotid and the circle of Willis. We found by selective angiography in either the vertebral, internal or external carotid 1) good flow to the contralateral hemisphere, 2) some flow between the extra- and intracerebral arteries. These findings of well developed vessel communication may explain that it is not possible to produce a focal ischemic brain damage in the piglet.