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The macroscopic vascular anatomy of the equine ethmoidal area
B T Bell1, G J Baker, L C Abbott
1Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
Insights
The ethmoid labyrinth in horses is primarily supplied by intracranial arteries forming an arterial rete. Venous drainage flows rostrally from the ethmoid labyrinth into surrounding sinus vasculature.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Anatomy
- Equine Vascular Anatomy
Background:
- The ethmoidal area is crucial for equine respiratory and olfactory functions.
- Understanding its vascular supply is vital for diagnosing and treating related conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the detailed arterial and venous vascular anatomy of the ethmoidal labyrinth in horses.
- To identify the primary and secondary sources of blood supply to this region.
Main Methods:
- Vascular-corrosion casting technique was employed.
- Detailed anatomical dissection and observation of six horses and two ponies.
Main Results:
- The major arterial supply originates intracranially, forming an arterial ethmoidal rete via the internal and external ethmoidal arteries.
- This rete supplies the ethmoid labyrinth through the cribriform plate.
- A minor ventral supply arises from the sphenopalatine artery.
- Venous drainage occurs via multiple parallel venules converging rostrally.
Conclusions:
- The intracranial arterial ethmoidal rete is the dominant vascular supply to the equine ethmoid labyrinth.
- This detailed anatomical knowledge aids in understanding equine nasal pathologies.
Abstract:
The vascular anatomy of the ethmoidal area in six normal horses and two normal ponies was studied using vascular-corrosion casts. The major arterial supply to the ethmoidal area stems from an intracranial source. The internal and external ethmoidal arteries anastomose on the rostral intracranial surface of the cribriform plate to form the arterial ethmoidal rete which arborizes and passes through the perforations of the cribriform plate to supply the ethmoid labyrinth. A minor arterial supply to the ventral portion of the ethmoid labyrinth stems from a small caudal nasal branch of the sphenopalatine artery. Multiple parallel venules drain the ethmoid labyrinth rostrally to its apex then join the venous drainage from the surrounding sinuses.