Superficial Temporal Artery: A Cadaveric Feasibility Study for Cerebral Bypass Surgery

INTRODUCTION: The superficial temporal artery (STA) is one of the most encountered vessels in neurosurgery and has a significant importance in cerebral bypass surgery. In cerebral bypass surgery, a suitable donor vessel to create the bypass graft close to the recipient artery with suitable size, is essential. The STA can be harvested easily and is readily accessible, minimizing surgical complexity. Using the STA as the donor artery has shown to have lower rates of complications compared to other graft options. It has a low risk of spasm and thrombosis, which could lead to graft failure. Additionally, harvesting the STA does not cause significant damage to surrounding tissues, reducing the risk of postoperative complications. The STA has a robust and consistent blood flow, making it an ideal candidate for grafting during cerebral bypass surgery.

METHODS: Understanding the variations of the STA is important to surgeons who encounter it during an operation. In this cadaveric study, we obtained length and internal elastic lamina diameter measurements of the STA trunk and its branches.
RESULTS: Our cadaveric internal elastic lamina diameters were consistent with the literature’s as well as the STA trunk and frontal branch lengths but the parietal branch length measurements were significantly different from the related literature’s.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Further cadaveric studies of the STA must be conducted as a better understanding the anatomy of this vessel by cerebrovascular surgeons.