Anatomy and Pathology of the Cranial Emissary Veins: a Review with Surgical Implications
REVIEW TOPIC REVIEW Anatomy and Pathology of the Cranial Emissary Veins: A Review With Surgical Implications Martin M. Mortazavi, MD* Emissary veins connect the extracranial venous system with the intracranial venous R. Shane Tubbs, MS, PA-C, sinuses. These include, but are not limited to, the posterior condyloid, mastoid, oc- PhD* cipital, and parietal emissary veins. A review of the literature for the anatomy, Sheryl Riech, BS* embryology, pathology, and surgery of the intracranial emissary veins was performed. Ketan Verma, BS* Detailed descriptions of these venous structures are lacking in the literature, and, to the authors’, knowledge, this is the first detailed review to discuss the anatomy, pathology, Mohammadali M. Shoja, MD‡ anomalies, and clinical effects of the cranial emissary veins. Our hope is that such data Anna Zurada, MD, PhD§ will be useful to the neurosurgeon during surgery in the vicinity of the emissary veins. Brion Benninger, MDk KEY WORDS: Anatomy, Cranial, Neurosurgery, Venous system Marios Loukas, MD, PhD¶ Aaron A. Cohen Gadol, MD, Neurosurgery 70:1312–1319, 2012 DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e31824388f8 www.neurosurgery-online.com MSc# *Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Child- “ f there were no emissary veins, injuries and fossil records indicate that there is an ren’s Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama; and diseases of the scalp would lose half increasing frequency of some emissary veins, ‡Neuroscience Research Center, Tabriz I their seriousness.”—Sir Frederick Treves such as the mastoid and parietal vessels in University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; 1 3 §Department of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, (1853-1923) humans. University of Varmia and Masuria, Olsztyn, Emissary veins connect the veins outside the Because information regarding these special- Poland; kDepartments of Surgery, Oral cranium with the intracranial venous sinuses ized structures is scant, we reviewed the anatomy Maxillofacial Surgery, Integrated Bioscien- 2-6 ces, Oregon Health & Science University, (Figure 1A).
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