Dural Venous Sinuses – Superior Sagittal

Dural Venous Sinuses – Superior Sagittal

Define Intracranial Dural Venous Sinuses. Discuss their characteristic features and applied anatomy.
Answer.

Intracranial Dural Venous Sinuses Definition The intracranial dural venous sinuses are endothelial-lined venous channels lying between the two layers of the dura mater.

Intracranial Dural Venous Sinuses Characteristic Features

• Are devoid of smooth muscle in their wall.
• Are devoid of valves in their lumen.
• Are lined by endothelium.
• Drain CSF through arachnoid villi and granulations.
• Receive emissary veins.
• Communicate with extracranial veins through emissary veins.
• Communicate with vertebral venous plexus through basilar venous plexus.
• Receive veins from the brain and diploic veins from cranial bones.
• Noncompressive in nature (i.e. always kept patent) and equalize pressure within and outside the skull.

Intracranial Dural Venous Sinuses Applied anatomy The infection from extracranial sources can spread to the dural venous sinuses and then to the brain.