Superior petrosal sinus

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Superior petrosal sinus
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Dural veins
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The sinuses at the base of the skull. (Superior petrosal sinus visible at center left.)
Details
Source Cavernous sinus
Drains to Transverse sinus
Identifiers
Latin sinus petrosus superior
TA98 A12.3.05.115
TA2 4850
FMA 50771
Anatomical terminology

The superior petrosal sinus is one of the dural venous sinuses located beneath the brain. It receives blood from the cavernous sinus and passes backward and laterally to drain into the transverse sinus. The sinus receives superior petrosal veins, some cerebellar veins, some inferior cerebral veins, and veins from the tympanic cavity. They may be affected by arteriovenous malformation or arteriovenous fistula, usually treated with surgery.

Contents

Structure

The superior petrosal sinus is located beneath the brain. It originates from the cavernous sinus. It passes backward and laterally to drain into the transverse sinus.

The sinus runs in the attached margin of the tentorium cerebelli, in a groove in the petrous part of the temporal bone formed by the sinus itself - the superior petrosal sulcus.

Function

The superior petrosal sinus drains many veins of the brain, including superior petrosal veins, [1] some cerebellar veins, some inferior cerebral veins, and veins from the tympanic cavity.

Clinical significance

The superior petrosal sinus may be affected by an arteriovenous malformation or arteriovenous fistula. [2] Most do not resolve by themselves. [2] They may be treated with endovascular surgery or open surgery. [2]

Additional images

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References

  1. Matsushima, Ken; Matsushima, Toshio; Kuga, Yoshihiro; Kodama, Yuji; Inoue, Kohei; Ohnishi, Hideyuki; Rhoton, Albert L. (20 February 2014). "Classification of the Superior Petrosal Veins and Sinus Based on Drainage Pattern". Operative Neurosurgery . 10 (2): 357–367. doi:10.1227/NEU.0000000000000323. PMID   24561869. S2CID   20545224 via Oxford.
  2. 1 2 3 Ng, Perry P.; Halbach, Van V.; Quinn, Roswell; Balousek, Peter; Caragine, Louis P.; Dowd, Christopher F.; Higashida, Randall T.; Wilson, Charles (1 July 2003). "Endovascular Treatment for Dural Arteriovenous Fistulae of the Superior Petrosal Sinus". Neurosurgery . 53 (1): 25–33. doi:10.1227/01.NEU.0000068790.37318.24. PMID   12823870. S2CID   24085520 via Oxford.