Circle of Willis
This is a rare specimen of the circle of Willis seen with multiple plaques of atherosclerosis in its branches, leading to ischemic stroke and death of this patient!! . The circle of Willis is a polygonal structure of blood vessels present at the base of brain which distributes oxygen-rich arterial blood to the cerebral mass. The base of the brain is the place where the vertebro-basilar system and internal carotid system of vessels meet or anastomose. The anastomosis of these two systems occurs in the interpeduncular cistern and forms an arterial circle called ‘Circle of Willis’. These vessels branch from the internal carotid arteries on each side, which branches laterally into the middle cerebral artery that gives branches toward the front and back of the brain, into the anterior and posterior cerebral arteries. These paired arteries are interconnected and communicating, thus giving us the shape of a circle. The middle cerebral artery is often invoked in the case of stroke, aneurysms, and rupture which subsequently leads to intracranial bleeding (subarachnoid hemorrhage) and is an emergency situation. This specimen shows atherosclerotic changes in all arteries of the Circle of Willis. This intracranial atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of ischemic stroke.
