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The Cranial Cavity: Bony Features
The Cranial Cavity: Bony Features
41
42 REGIONAL AND CLINICAL ANATOMY FOR DENTAL STUDENTS
edge is attached to the lips of the sagittal sinus lying between the falx cerebri and the tentorium
groove on the inner aspect of the vault of skull. cerebelli.
It is narrow in front where it is attached to the K Falx cerebelli (Fig. 7.5) is a small, sickle shaped
crista galli and becomes deeper posteriorly fold which separates the posterior parts of the
where it has a straight inferior edge attached two cerebellar hemispheres. Superiorly, it is
to the upper surface of the tentorium cerebelli. attached to the under surface of the tentorium
The superior sagittal sinus is enclosed within the cerebelli, and behind to the internal occipital
upper attached edge of falx cerebri. It begins at the crest. Its anterior border is free and concave.
crista galli anteriorly, and may be connected via an
emissary vein through foramen caecum with nasal
veins. Its chief tributaries are the superior cerebral
veins. It has two-to-three lateral prolongations known
as lacunae laterales (Fig. 7.3).
The inferior sagittal sinus runs in the inferior
margin of the falx cerebri. It continues into the straight
Its posterior border contains the occipital The transverse sinus lies within its postero-lateral
sinus, and its upper attached border is related attachment to the lips of the sulcus on the side wall of
to the posterior part of the straight sinus. the posterior cranial fossa.
K Tentorium cerebelli (Fig. 7.6) is a tent-like The superior petrosal sinus lies within its antero-
semilunar fold which roofs the posterior lateral attachment to the superior border of the petrous
cranial fossa and intervenes between the temporal.
cerebellum and occipital lobes of the brain. It
K Diaphragma sellae (Fig. 7.4) is the fold roofing
is attached from the apex of one petrous
over the pituitary fossa with an aperture for
temporal bone to the other along its upper
infundibulum. On each side the layers of dura
borders and horizontally along the inner
surface of each side of the skull upto the mater separate to enclose the cavernous sinus.
internal occipital protuberance. Anteriorly and posteriorly, the two layers.
separate to enclose the small anterior and
Its free margin is U-shaped and is known as the posterior intercavernous sinuses.
tentorial notch. Anteriorly, it is attached to the anterior
clinoid process, after crossing above the attached Venous Sinuses
margin, which ends medially at the posterior clinoid Intracranial venous sinuses differ from veins in
process. lacking muscular and adventitial walls. Their
The straight sinus lies within the attachment of endothelial lining is continuous with the veins
falx cerebri to the upper surface of the tentorium connected with them. They do not have valves. Since
cerebelli. the meningeal layer of dura is tough and fibrous, the
Fig. 7.5 Dural venous sinuses. Tentorium removed on one side to expose falx cerebelli.
Fig. 7.6 Dural venous sinuses. Superior view of tentorium after removal of falx cerebri.
44 REGIONAL AND CLINICAL ANATOMY FOR DENTAL STUDENTS
sinuses are always kept patent. All sinuses finally Paired Sinuses (Fig. 7.7)
terminate directly or indirectly into the internal jugular K Transverse sinuses lie along the posterolateral
vein. edge of the tentorium cerebelli. On reaching
Their tributaries are of three types: the petrous portion of the temporal bone, it is
(i) Veins from the brain joined by the superior petrosal sinus to form
the sigmoid sinus.
(ii) Diploic veins from the dipole of the cranial
bones and
(iii) Emissary veins which connect them with
extracranial veins.
Some of the sinuses are unpaired, others paired.
Unpaired Sinuses (Fig. 7.5)
K Superior sagittal sinus is situated in the
midline along the superior border of falx
cerebri. It extends from crista galli anteriorly
to internal occipital protuberance posteriorly.
Narrow at the beginning, it dilates as it
proceeds backwards. At the internal occipital
protuberance it usually turns to the right side
to form the transverse sinus. Its tributaries
are:
— Superficial superior cerebral veins.
— Venous spaces called lacunae lateralis.
— Veins of frontal sinus through an emissary
vein passing through foramen caecum.
— Parietal emissary vein connects it to the
occipital veins in the scalp. Fig. 7.7 Dural venous sinuses of posterior cranial fossa.
K Inferior sagittal sinus runs in the posterior K Sigmoid sinuses (Fig. 7.7) occupy the sigmoid
two-thirds of the free edge of the falx cerebri. sulcus in the posterior cranial fossa. It runs a
At the anterior edge of the attachment of falx sigmoid course to the lateral end of the jugular
cerebri to the tentorium it joins the great foramen where it ends in the superior bulb of
cerebrial vein to form the straight sinus. the internal jugular vein. Mastoid emissary
K Straight sinus runs along the intersection of vein, which emerges through the mastoid
the falx cerebri and the tentorium cerebelli. It process, connects the sigmoid sinus to the
ends posteriorly at the internal occipital occipital or posterior auricular veins. Condylar
protuberance, by turning laterally usually to
the left to form the transverse sinus.
K Occipital sinus runs in the posterior attached
edge of falx cerebelli, between the internal
occipital protuberance and the back of foramen
magnum. It may split anteriorly to surround
foramen magnum to get connected with the
sigmoid sinus.
K Basilar plexus lies on the clivus of skull. It
connects the inferior petrosal sinuses
anterolaterally with the cavernous sinuses
anteriorly and the internal vertebral plexus
posteriorly.
K Anterior and posterior intercavernous sinuses
lie in the corresponding margins of the
diaphragma selle. Others pass across the floor Fig. 7.8 Confluence of sinuses at internal occipital
of the pituitary fossa. protuberance.
THE CRANIAL CAVITY 45