Wk 4 - Cranial venous sinuses

Question 1

Where does the superior sagittal sinus run?

Answer 1

In the falx cerebrum

Question 2

What veins drain into the superior sagittal sinus?

Answer 2

Superior cerebral veins

Question 3

Describe the course of the superior sagittal sinus.

Answer 3

Runs forwards then becomes the right transverse sinus before becoming the right sigmoid sinus and exiting the cranial cavity via the jugular foramen to become the right internal jugular vein

Question 4

What exits the cranial cavity via the jugular foramen?

Answer 4

Sigmoid sinus

9th, 10th and 11th cranial nerves

Question 5

The straight sinus is a continuation of what?

Answer 5

The inferior sagittal sinus and the great cerebral vein

Question 6

Where is the cavernous sinus found?

Answer 6

Next to the sella turcica

Question 7

Describe the cavernous sinus

Answer 7

Lots of little blood vessels and has a very slow blood flow

Question 8

What veins drain into the cavernous sinus?

Answer 8

Ophthalmic veins and sphenoidal emissary vein

Question 9

What is the sphenoidal emissary vein?

Answer 9

A little vein that comes out from the side of the sinus and goes into the base of the skull
It connects the cavernous sinus to the pterygoid venous plexus - drains blood from upper jaw

Question 10

What happens to the cavernous sinus at the end of its course?

Answer 10

It splits into superior and inferior petrosal sinuses which both join onto the sigmoid sinus

Question 11

Describe what causes thrombosis of the cavernous sinus.

Answer 11

Bacteria gets into the cavernous sinus. The blood flow is very slow so the bacteria can multiply quickly and cause the blood to clot

Question 12

What symptoms might a patient with cavernous sinus thrombosis have and why?

Answer 12

• Fever

- Swollen eye as the blood clot prevents drainage coming back from the eye

Question 13

What might cause cavernous sinus thrombosis?

Answer 13

• boil in face thats been squeezed

- dental abscess in upper tooth

Question 14

How might a boil in the face cause cavernous sinus thrombosis?

Answer 14

The ophthalmic veins have a connection with the face. If a boil is squeezed and bacteria break off into facial veins then ophthalmic veins then bacteria may get into the cavernous sinus and cause thrombosis

Question 15

How might a dental abscess in an upper tooth cause cavernous sinus thrombosis?

Answer 15

The infections may go into the blood of the pterygoid plexus and then into the blood in the sphenoidal emissary vein and into cavernous sinus