Lateral Orbitofrontal Artery in the Skull

Description

Prominently traced along the orbital surface of the frontal lobe, the lateral orbitofrontal artery courses anteriorly and inferiorly across the gyrus rectus and orbital gyri, then fans into small cortical branches near the frontal pole. Medially, its territory approaches the interhemispheric fissure and the pericallosal callosomarginal system, while laterally it relates to the orbital part of the inferior frontal gyrus and the anterior insular region via adjacent anterior cerebral artery branches. Surrounding bony landmarks of the anterior cranial fossa frame the vessel from below, including the orbital plates of the frontal bone and the midline crista galli with the cribriform plate of the ethmoid. Small arteries and veins of the cranial cavity accompany the main trunk. Orientation is internal, within the opened skull. For neurosurgical and neurovascular teaching, the orbitofrontal arteries matter because they represent a consistent anterior cerebral artery cortical branch encountered early during interhemispheric or subfrontal exposure of the frontal base, where retraction and coagulation can threaten frontal pole perfusion. A short segment, long consequences. In anterior communicating artery aneurysm surgery, small orbitofrontal and frontopolar branches can be mistaken for perforators or sacrificed during clip placement, and their infarcts may present as subtle executive and behavioral change rather than a dense motor deficit. Neuroanatomy courses, cerebrovascular atlases, and operative approach chapters benefit from a clean depiction of this artery’s relationship to the orbital frontal cortex and the bony contours of the anterior cranial fossa, and it also supports radiology teaching when correlating CT angiography or catheter angiography projections with cortical branch anatomy. Suitable for slide decks on anterior cerebral artery variants, aneurysm planning, and frontal base surgical corridors. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.