Microsurgical Anatomy of the Central Retinal Artery.

Background: The central retinal artery (CRA) has been described as one of the first branches of the ophthalmic artery.It arises medial to the ciliary ganglion and after a sinuous path within the orbital cavity it penetrates the lower surface of the dura mater that covers the optic nerve, approximately 1 cm behind the eyeball. However, the numerous anatomic descriptions that were made of the CRA have been insufficient or unclear in relation to certain characteristics that are analyzed in the present study.

Methods: An electronic literature search was made in the PubMed database and a cadaver dissection was performed on 11 orbits fixed in formaldehyde.

Results: Results were obtained regarding the source, collateral branches, curves, direction, length of the optic nerve, dural perforation site, distance, path and relations, diameter, and area of the central artery of the retina.

Conclusions: Our anatomic study innovates in 2 aspects of the CRA: area and curves. Not only was there a simple count of the number of curves, but it also analyzed the angle presented by each of the curves based on photos obtained in high definition, with a digital program to reduce the margin of error. These curvatures of the CRA were classified according to their spatial disposition within the orbital cavity based on a pattern that was easy to understand. Data were obtained from the area of the CRA on the penetration of the CRA into the dural sheath of the optic nerve.