Occipital sinus

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Occipital sinus
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Dural veins
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The sinuses at the base of the skull. (Occipial sinus visible at bottom center, below the foramen magnum on image.)
Details
Drains to Confluence of sinuses
Identifiers
Latin sinus occipitalis
TA98 A12.3.05.105
TA2 4855
FMA 50781
Anatomical terminology

The occipital sinus is the smallest of the dural venous sinuses. It is usually unpaired, and is sometimes altogether absent. It is situated in the attached margin of the falx cerebelli. It commences near the foramen magnum, and ends by draining into the confluence of sinuses.

Contents

Occipital sinuses were discovered by Guichard Joseph Duverney.[ citation needed ]

Anatomy

The occipital sinus is present in around 65% of individuals. [1] It is usually single, but occasionally paired. [2]

It is situated in the attached margin of the falx cerebelli. [2]

Course

The occipital sinus commences around the margin of the foramen magnum [2] by several small venous channels (one of which joins the terminal part of the sigmoid sinus). It terminates by draining into the confluence of the sinuses. [3]

Communications

The occipital sinus communicates with the marginal sinus, [3] and posterior internal vertebral venous plexuses. [2]

Additional images

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occipital bone</span> Bone of the neurocranium

The occipital bone is a cranial dermal bone and the main bone of the occiput. It is trapezoidal in shape and curved on itself like a shallow dish. The occipital bone overlies the occipital lobes of the cerebrum. At the base of the skull in the occipital bone, there is a large oval opening called the foramen magnum, which allows the passage of the spinal cord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dura mater</span> Outermost layer of the protective tissues around the central nervous system (meninges)

In neuroanatomy, dura mater is a thick membrane made of dense irregular connective tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It is the outermost of the three layers of membrane called the meninges that protect the central nervous system. The other two meningeal layers are the arachnoid mater and the pia mater. It envelops the arachnoid mater, which is responsible for keeping in the cerebrospinal fluid. It is derived primarily from the neural crest cell population, with postnatal contributions of the paraxial mesoderm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great cerebral vein</span>

The great cerebral vein is one of the large blood vessels in the skull draining the cerebrum of the brain. It is also known as the vein of Galen, named for its discoverer, the Greek physician Galen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epidural space</span> Space between the dura mater and vertebrae

In anatomy, the epidural space is the potential space between the dura mater and vertebrae (spine).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Posterior cranial fossa</span> Area of the cranium containing the brainstem and cerebellum

The posterior cranial fossa is the part of the cranial cavity located between the foramen magnum, and tentorium cerebelli. It is formed by the sphenoid bones, temporal bones, and occipital bone. It lodges the cerebellum, and parts of the brainstem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diploic veins</span> Large valveless veins in the skull

The diploic veins are large, thin-walled valveless veins that channel in the diploë between the inner and outer layers of the cortical bone in the skull, first identified in dogs by the anatomist Guillaume Dupuytren. A single layer of endothelium lines these veins supported by elastic tissue. They develop fully by the age of two years. The diploic veins drain this area into the dural venous sinuses. The four major trunks of the diploic veins found on each side of the head are frontal, anterior temporal, posterior temporal, and occipital diploic veins. They tend to be symmetrical, with the same pattern of large veins on each side of the skull. It has been suggested that the venous patterns they form resemble fingerprints in their individuality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falx cerebri</span> Anatomical structure of the brain

The falx cerebri is a large, crescent-shaped fold of dura mater that descends vertically into the longitudinal fissure between the cerebral hemispheres of the human brain, separating the two hemispheres and supporting dural sinuses that provide venous and CSF drainage to the brain. It is attached to the crista galli anteriorly, and blends with the tentorium cerebelli posteriorly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerebellar tentorium</span> Vertebrate brain structure separating the cerebellum from the occipital lobes

The cerebellar tentorium or tentorium cerebelli is an extension of the dura mater between the inferior aspect of the occipital lobes and the superior aspect of the cerebellum. The free border of the tentorium gives passage to the midbrain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Straight sinus</span> Venous sinus draining the brain

The straight sinus, also known as tentorial sinus or the sinus rectus, is an area within the skull beneath the brain. It receives blood from the inferior sagittal sinus and the great cerebral vein, and drains into the confluence of sinuses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superior sagittal sinus</span> Anatomical structure of the brain

The superior sagittal sinus, within the human head, is an unpaired area along the attached margin of the falx cerebri. It allows blood to drain from the lateral aspects of anterior cerebral hemispheres to the confluence of sinuses. Cerebrospinal fluid drains through arachnoid granulations into the superior sagittal sinus and is returned to venous circulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falx cerebelli</span> Skull anatomy

The falx cerebelli is a small sickle-shaped fold of dura mater projecting forwards into the posterior cerebellar notch as well as projecting into the vallecula of the cerebellum between the two cerebellar hemispheres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transverse sinuses</span>

The transverse sinuses, within the human head, are two areas beneath the brain which allow blood to drain from the back of the head. They run laterally in a groove along the interior surface of the occipital bone. They drain from the confluence of sinuses to the sigmoid sinuses, which ultimately connect to the internal jugular vein. See diagram : labeled under the brain as "SIN. TRANS.".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateral parts of occipital bone</span> Parts of bone in base of skull

The lateral parts of the occipital bone are situated at the sides of the foramen magnum; on their under surfaces are the condyles for articulation with the superior facets of the atlas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squamous part of occipital bone</span>

The squamous part of occipital bone is situated above and behind the foramen magnum, and is curved from above downward and from side to side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Condylar canal</span> Canal in the condyloid fossa of the occipital bone

The condylar canal is a canal in the condyloid fossa of the lateral parts of occipital bone behind the occipital condyle. Resection of the rectus capitis posterior major and minor muscles reveals the bony recess leading to the condylar canal, which is situated posterior and lateral to the occipital condyle. It is immediately superior to the extradural vertebral artery, which makes a loop above the posterior C1 ring to enter the foramen magnum. The anteriomedial wall of the condylar canal thickens to join the foramen magnum rim and connect to the occipital condyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internal occipital crest</span>

In the occipital bone, the lower division of the cruciate eminence is prominent, and is named the internal occipital crest; it bifurcates near the foramen magnum and gives attachment to the falx cerebelli; in the attached margin of this falx is the occipital sinus, which is sometimes duplicated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tectorial membrane of atlanto-axial joint</span> Ligament in the spinal canal in the head joint area

The tectorial membrane of atlanto-axial joint is a tough membrane/broad, strong band representing the superior-ward prolongation of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internal vertebral venous plexuses</span>

The internal vertebral venous plexuses lie within the vertebral canal in the epidural space, embedded within epidural fat. They receive tributaries from bones, red bone marrow, and spinal cord. They are arranged into four interconnected, vertically oriented vessels - two situated anteriorly, and two posteriorly:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Posterior atlantooccipital membrane</span> Membrane at the base of the skull

The posterior atlantooccipital membrane is a broad but thin membrane extending between the to the posterior margin of the foramen magnum above, and posterior arch of atlas below. It forms the floor of the suboccipital triangle.

The marginal sinus is a dural venous sinus surrounding the margin of the foramen magnum inside the skull, accommodated by the groove for marginal sinus. It usually drains into either the sigmoid sinus, or the jugular bulb. It communicates with the basilar venous plexus anteriorly, and the occipital sinus posteriorly ; it may form extracranial communications with the internal vertebral venous plexuses, or deep cervical veins.

References

  1. "Sinus occipitalis". Ars Neurochirurgica. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gray, Henry (1918). Gray's Anatomy (20th ed.). p. 658.
  3. 1 2 Gray's anatomy : the anatomical basis of clinical practice. Susan Standring (Forty-second ed.). [New York]. 2021. p. 404. ISBN   978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC   1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)