| Basilar artery | |
| Latin: | arteria basilaris |
| Width: | 335px |
| Branchfrom: | Vertebral arteries |
| Branchto: | Pontine arteries anterior inferior cerebellar (AICA) Paramedian arteries superior cerebellar arteries terminal posterior cerebral arteries |
| Supplies: | Pons, and superior and inferior aspects of the cerebellum |
The basilar artery (U.K.: ;[1] [2] U.S.: [3]) is one of the arteries that supplies the brain with oxygen-rich blood.
The two vertebral arteries and the basilar artery are known as the vertebral basilar system, which supplies blood to the posterior part of the circle of Willis and joins with blood supplied to the anterior part of the circle of Willis from the internal carotid arteries.[4] [5] [6]
The diameter of the basilar artery range from 1.5 to 6.6 mm.[7]
The basilar artery arises from the union of the two vertebral arteries at the junction between the medulla oblongata and the pons between the abducens nerves (CN VI).[8]
It ascends along the basilar sulcus of the ventral pons. It divides at the junction of the midbrain and pons into the posterior cerebral arteries.
Its branches from caudal to rostral include:
A basilar artery stroke classically leads to locked-in syndrome.