DURAL VENOUS SINUSES
Dural venous sinuses
Characteristic feature of dural venous
sinuses
• Lined by endothelium, no muscular coat &
valveless.
• Collect blood from brain,meninges, orbit,internal
ear & diploe.
• Connected to valveless emissary veins to
maintain the internal & external venous pressure.
• Projection of arachnoid granulation into it for CSF
absorption.
Superior ,inferior & straight sinus
Superior sagittal sinus
• Begins at crista galli
• Ends at internal
occipital protubernce
dilated to form
“confluence of sinuses”
( Trocula Herophili)
• 3 venous lacunae
• Tributaries :
• Superior cerbral vein- 8-
12
• Emissary vein
• Communications :
• Veins of scalp
• Vein from nasal cavity
through patent foramen
caecum
• Cavernous sinus
Clinical significance
• Infection from scalp, nasal cavity & diploic
tissue septic thrombosis CSF
absorption ICT
Straight sinus
Straight sinus
• Location : junction of falx cerebri & tentorium
cerebelli
• Terminate into left transvese sinus &
connected to confluence
• Tributaries :
1. Inferior sagittal sinus
2. Few superior cerebellar veins
3. Great cerebral vein ( vein of Galen)
Paired sinus
Paired sinuses
• Transverse sinuses • Sigmoid sinuses
• Posterior attached margin • Exit skull through
of tentorium cerebelli posterior compartment of
• Continues below as jugular foramen
sigmoid sinus • Continues with superior
• Tributaries : bulb of internal jugular
1. Superior petrosal vein
• Tributaries:
2. Inferior cerebral &
cerebellar veins 1. Mastoid & condylar
emissary veins
2. Cerebellar vein
3. Labyrinthine vein
Cavernous sinus
• Formation : cephalic
part of primary head
vein
• 2x 1 cm
• Roof & lateral wall :
meningeal layer
• Floor & medial wall :
endosteal layer
• RELATIONS
Carotid siphon
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
• Septic thrombosis
• Pulsating
exophthalmous
Cavernous sinus