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Bilateral absence of the transverse sinuses with fenestrated superior sagittal sinus draining through enlarged occipital and marginal sinuses
Affiliations- Faculty of General Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- National Institute of Neurology and Neurovascular Diseases, Bucharest, Romania
- Division of Anatomy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
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Abstract
The endothelial-lined dural venous sinuses collect blood from the brain, meninges, and calvaria and drain it to the internal jugular veins. The adult drainage pathway of the venous sinuses confluent is commonly via the transverse and sigmoid sinuses to the jugular bulb. The occipital (OS) and marginal (MS) sinuses are well-represented before birth, in most cases. During a retrospective study of the computed tomography angiograms of a 64-year-old female was found a rare combination of variants of the posterior fossa sinuses. The confluence of the dural venous sinuses was rhomboidal and drained superiorly the superior sagittal sinus, and inferiorly a well-represented OS. The transverse sinuses were aplastic, on the right side, and hypoplastic on the opposite side. The OS further drained into the MS which, on each side, emptied into the respective jugular bulb. On each side a condylar vein left the junction of the sigmoid sinus and jugular bulb. Such posterior fossa drainage, exclusively on the OS-MS pathway, should be kept in mind when transections of the venous sinuses are intended during neurosurgical approaches of the foramen magnum. The OS-MS drainage is rather a persisting foetal pattern. The bilateral anatomical exclusion of the transverse sinuses is an added condition to spare the OS and MS.
Abstract
The endothelial-lined dural venous sinuses collect blood from the brain, meninges, and calvaria and drain it to the internal jugular veins. The adult drainage pathway of the venous sinuses confluent is commonly via the transverse and sigmoid sinuses to the jugular bulb. The occipital (OS) and marginal (MS) sinuses are well-represented before birth, in most cases. During a retrospective study of the computed tomography angiograms of a 64-year-old female was found a rare combination of variants of the posterior fossa sinuses. The confluence of the dural venous sinuses was rhomboidal and drained superiorly the superior sagittal sinus, and inferiorly a well-represented OS. The transverse sinuses were aplastic, on the right side, and hypoplastic on the opposite side. The OS further drained into the MS which, on each side, emptied into the respective jugular bulb. On each side a condylar vein left the junction of the sigmoid sinus and jugular bulb. Such posterior fossa drainage, exclusively on the OS-MS pathway, should be kept in mind when transections of the venous sinuses are intended during neurosurgical approaches of the foramen magnum. The OS-MS drainage is rather a persisting foetal pattern. The bilateral anatomical exclusion of the transverse sinuses is an added condition to spare the OS and MS.
Keywords
computed tomography, dura mater, venous sinus, foramen magnum, posterior cranial fossa
About this articleTitle
Bilateral absence of the transverse sinuses with fenestrated superior sagittal sinus draining through enlarged occipital and marginal sinuses
Journal
Issue
Article type
Case report
Pages
781-784
Published online
2021-07-21
Page views
2683
Article views/downloads
1707
DOI
10.5603/FM.a2021.0070
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2022;81(3):781-784.
Keywords
computed tomography
dura mater
venous sinus
foramen magnum
posterior cranial fossa
Authors
P. M. Rădoi
D. I. Mincă
M. C. Rusu
C. Toader
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