| The circle before willis: a historical account of the intracranial anastomosis. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 19935436 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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The circle of Willis is one of the most famous eponymous structures in human anatomy. There is no doubt Thomas Willis at Oxford accurately demonstrated the anastomotic arterial supply at the base of the brain. However, this eponymous name does not reveal the history of the discovery of the ramification, nor does it give credit to the anatomists and artists who have contributed to the understanding of this clinically important structure. This article first traces the story of the discovery of the circle of Willis. Willis' contribution and innovative approaches are then discussed. Finally, despite Willis' not being the first to describe the circle, we explain why he still deserves to retain the eponymous title. The earlier description of the vasculature at the base of the brain was fixated on a nonexistent structure, at least not in humans, named the rete mirabile. The more scientific study of the blood supply to the brain took place during the Renaissance period, which culminated in the work of Thomas Willis in the 17th century. |
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Authors:
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William B Lo; Harold Ellis |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Biography; Historical Article; Journal Article; Portraits |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Neurosurgery Volume: 66 ISSN: 1524-4040 ISO Abbreviation: Neurosurgery Publication Date: 2010 Jan |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2009-12-22 Completed Date: 2010-03-02 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 7802914 Medline TA: Neurosurgery Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 7-18; discussion 17-8 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Neurosurgery, Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TH, United Kingdom. williamlo@doctors.org.uk |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Arteriovenous Anastomosis
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anatomy & histology,
surgery Circle of Willis / anatomy & histology*, physiology*, surgery Eponyms* Famous Persons History, 15th Century History, 16th Century History, 17th Century History, 18th Century History, Medieval Humans Medical Illustration / history Neuroanatomy / history* |
| Personal Name Subject | |
Personal Name Subject:
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Thomas Willis |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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