Persistent Embryological Connections
Q: What are the persistent connections between the anterior and posterior circulation.
A: mnemonic HOT
Hypoglossal (featured on EOF sample questions)
Otic
Trigeminal SL Case (the one you most commonly see in practice)
extra credit for proatlantal occipital I & II
Q: What is a practical implication of a persistent trigeminal (or hypoglossal artery)
A: When performing a Wada test, if this connection exists, the sodium amytal would anesthetize the pons, potentially requiring emergency intubation.