The artery of Adamkiewicz (also arteria radicularis magna) is the largest anterior segmental medullary artery.
The artery is named after Albert Wojciech Adamkiewicz (August 11, 1850 – October 31, 1921) a Polish-Jewish pathologist born in Żerków.
It has several other names, including: Adamkiewicz artery, great radicular artery of Adamkiewicz, major anterior segmental medullary artery, artery of the lumbar enlargement, great anterior radiculomedullary artery, great anterior segmental medullary artery.
It typically arises from a left posterior intercostal artery at the level of the 9th to 12th intercostal artery , which branches from the aorta, and supplies the lower two thirds of the spinal cord via the anterior spinal artery.
Djindjian et al. described the filum terminale artery as a continuation of the artery of Adamkiewicz, which after giving branches and doing anastomoses with posterior spinal artery at the level of conus, continues as a longitudinal artery on the ventral surface of the filum terminale 1).
Adamkiewicz artery supplies pudendal nerve roots and conus medullaris.
Neuronal degenerations secondary to vasospasm of Adamkiewicz artery vasospasm induced Onuf's nucleus-pudental nerve ganglia complex degeneration may be a reason of urinary retention following spinal SAH.