Meninges Flashcards

1
Q

What are the layers of the meninges?

A

-Dura mater
-Arachnoid mater
-Pia mater

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2
Q

Describe the dura mater

A

-Is found immediately inside the bone
-Is slightly connected to the vault of the skull but can be just pulled away

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3
Q

Describe the arachnoid mater

A

-Thin and deep to the dura
-Not attached to dura, simply pushed up against it
-Gives off extensions that go into the lumen of sinuses called the arachnoid villi

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4
Q

What is the function of the extensions of the arachnoid villi?

A

Absorb CSF

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5
Q

Describe the pia mater

A

-Innermost layer that lies of the surface of the brain
-Very thin and very vascular
-Follows brain structure into sulci etc
-Also found around the spinal cord

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6
Q

What are the 3 types of extracerebral haemorrhages you can get?

A

-Extradural haemorrhage
-Subdural haemorrhage
-Subarachnoid haemorrhage

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7
Q

Describe what happens in an extradural haemorrhage including common cause and blood vessels involved.

A

Common cause = Fracture to the pterion
Middle meningeal artery runs between the dura and the bone in a groove near the pterion. If pterion fractures can cause rupture of middle meningeal artery.
Strips away dura from bone and get build-up of a blood clot

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8
Q

What might you notice about someone who has had an extradural haemorrhage, how long will this take to happen and who can this type of haemorrhage happen to?

A

-might become confused and conscious level will deteriorate as blood clot will press on brain
-Happens over a few hours
-can happen to anyone

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9
Q

What blood vessels are involved in a subdural haemorrhage, what commonly causes it and why?

A

-cerebral veins
-tends to happen in elderly after they’ve had a fall and hit their head
-Where the superior cerebral veins go into the sagittal sinus, they are anchored to the dura quite firmly
-A knock to the head can cause the brain to shift and tear the veins here
-Blood builds up between the arachnoid mater and the dura and get blood clot here

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10
Q

What might you notice about a patient who has has a subdural haemorrhage/when do onset of these symptoms begin? Explain why.

A

The conscious level of the patient tends to deteriorate after a couple of days into a few weeks
This is because the blood is venous blood and gradually oozes out

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11
Q

What blood vessels are involved in a subarachnoid haemorrhage and what is a common cause of this type of haemorrhage?

A

-Cerebral arteries
-A berry aneurysm (pathological swelling of BV) which can suddenly burst due to a localised weakness of the artery
-A small trauma can induce it e.g. falling off of a bike

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12
Q

Describe a subarachnoid haemorrhage in terms of what happens to the patient and the type of bleeding and where it is.

A

-Massive bleeding into the subarachnoid space underneath the brain
-Patient goes unconscious very quickly and this type of haemorrhage is recognised as a cause of sudden death

NOTE: will get blood stained CSF

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13
Q

Where do the cerebral arteries lie and what do they supply?

A

They lie on the underside of the brain in the subarachnoid space surrounded by CSF and supply blood to the brain

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