DURA MATER

&
INTRACRANIAL DURAL VENUS
SINUSES
PRESENTED BY
SADIQ WADOOD SIDDIQUI
 DURA MATER
O Internal of the cranial cavity is lined by
dura mater and the surface of brain is
lined by pia mater.
O Between the these two payers lie the
arachnoid mater.
O All these 3 membranes are called
meninges of the brain
O Cerebral dura of cranial dura is strong
fibrous membrane.
O It consists of two layers:-
O outer endosteal layer
O inner meningeal layer
Two layers are fused with each other except
where they enclose venous sinuses.
O Outer layer :
O -it is the periosteum lining the inner surface of the
skull and commonly referred as endocranium.
O Features:
O 1-continue with periosteum on the outer surface of
the skull through sutures and foramina.
O Provide sheath for the cranial nerves.
O Loosly attached to the inner surface of the vault.
O Meningeal vessels pass through to supply the bone.
 Inner layer
O It is the dura mater proper.
O It encloses the brain and at
foramen magnum becomes
continue with dura mater around
the spinal cord.
O At places meningeal layer is folded
on it self to form Dural folds.
Folds of Dura mater:
O 1-Falx cerebri.
O 2-Tentorium cerebelli
O 3-Falx cerebelli.
O 4-Diaphragmatic sellae.
FALX CEREBERI
O It is a large sickle shaped fold occupying the median
longitudinal fissure between two cerebral
hemispheres.
O Anteriorly-attached with crista galli and posteriorly
on the upper surface of tentorium cerebelli.
O Concave upper margin attached to the lip of sagittal
sulcus and lower concave margin is free.
 VENOUS SINUSES ENCLOSED IN FALX
CEREBRI
O 1-Superior sagittal sinus
O 2-inferior sagittal sinus
O 3-straight sinus.

Tentorium cerebelli

-tent shaped fold of dura mater

forming the roof of the posterior
cranial fossa.
-separates the cerebellum from
the occipital lobe of cerebrum.
 MARGINS
O Inner free margin is U shaped and encloses the
tentorial notch for the passage of mid brain.
O Anterior end of free margin is attached to ant. Clinoid
process.
O Outer attached margin is convex and is attached on
each side to post. Clinoid process, posterio-inferior
angle of parietal bone.
O Free and attached margins cross each other near the
apex of the petrous temporal bone to enclose a
triangular area anteriorly pierced by oculomotor nerve.
 SURFACES
O 1- Upper surface gives attachment to falx cerebri.
O 2-concave inferior surface provide attachment to
falx cerebelli.

Trigeminal or Meckel’s cave

It is a recess of dura mater present in relation to the attached
outer margin of the tentorial cerebelli. It is formed by the
evagination of meningeal layer of dura mater.
VENOUS SINUSES ENCLOSED IN TENTORIUM CEREBELLI
O Transverse sinus
O Superior petrosal sinus
O Straight sinus

FALX CEREBELLI
Small sickle shaped fold of dura mater in the sagittal plane
projecting forward in to the posterior cerebellar notch.
It extends from internal occipital protuberance to the
internal occipital crest to the posterior margins of foramen
magnum
-free concave anterior margin.
-attached concave posterior margin.
VENOUS SINUSES IN THE FALX CEREBRI
O Occipital sinus.

Diaphragm sellae
Small circular fold of inner layer of dura mater forming the roof of
hypophyseal fossa.
Attachment-
anteriorly-tuberculum sellae
posteriorly-Dorsum sellae
On each side continue with the dura mater of middle cranial fossa.
Has a central aperture providing passage to the stalk of pituitary
gland.
 Blood supply

O Inner layer –very much fibrous and requires very low

blood for nourishment.
O Outer layer-richly vascular and supplied by –
O In the ant. Cranial fossa- meningeal br. Of ophthalmic
artery and post. Ethmoidal artery and branch of middle
meningeal artery.
O In the middle cranial fossa-middle and accessory
meningeal artery by the meningeal branch of internal
carotid artery and ascending pharyngeal artery.
O In the post. Cranial fossa-meningeal br. Of vertebral and
occipital artery.
 Nerve supply
O Supra tentorial dura supplied by ophthalmic nerve.
O Infra tentorial dura (of floor) has rich sensory supply
-1-in the ant .cranial fossa-ant. & post. Ethmoidal nerve.
2-in the middle cranial fossa-meningeal br. Of maxillary nerve
in the ant. Part & meningeal br. Of mandibular nerve
posteriorly.
In the posterior cranial fossa-meningeal br. Of vagus and
hypoglossal nerve.
Dura around the foramen magnum is supplied by C2 & C 3
cervical plexus.
INTRA CRANIAL DURAL VENOUS SINUS

There are various venous channels in the cranial dura.they

are formed in two ways-
1-by the seperation of two layers of cranial dura.
2-by reduplication of the meningial layer.
All the venous sinuses except inferior sagittal and straight
sinus lies between meningeal & endosteal layer of dura.
They drain blood from brain & skull and the blood from
sinus drain in to internal juglar vein.
Many sinuses communicate with the veins outside the skull
through emissary veins.
Characteristic features of Dural sinus

O 1-lie between layers of dura mater.

O 2-have no muscle in their walls
O 3-lined by endothelium only
O 4-don’t have valves in the lumen
O 5-receives blood and CSF.
O 6-receives valveless emissary veins which
regulates the blood flow and maintain
equilibrium of venous pressure with in and
outside the skull.
 Classification
About 21 sinuses are there.
O Paired Unpaired
O Cavernous Superior sagittal
O Superior petrosal Inferior sagittal
O Inferior petrosal Straight
O Transverse Occipital
O Sigmoid Ant. intercavernous
O Sphenoparital Post. Intercaverous
O Petrosqumous Basilar venous plexus
 CAVERNOUS SINUS

Location:
About-28*1 cm
Situated in the middle cranial fossa along side the body of
sphenoid and sella turcica.
Inside-it is divided in to no. of small spaces by trabeculae.
So it is named cavernous.
Floor of the sinus is formed by the endosteal layer
Roof,medial & laterral wall-by the meningeal layer.
Roof is continues medially with diaphragmatic sellae.
 EXTENT

O Each sinus extends

-anteriorly up to medial end of superior orbital fissure
-posteriorly up to apex of petrous temporal bone.

Relations

Superiorly Inferiorly
1-optic chiasma 1-foramen lacerum
2-optic tract 2-junction of body &greater
3-internal carotid artery wing of sphenoid
4-ant. Perforated substance.
Medially
1-pituitary gland
2-sphenoid air sinus

Laterally
1-temporal lobe
2-cavum trigeminale

Anteriorly
1-superior orbital fissure
2-apex of orbit

Posteriorly
1-Crus cerebri of mid brain
2-apex of petrous temporal bone
 Structure present in lateral wall
From above downward
1-Oculomotor nerve
2-Trochlear nerve
3-Ophthalmic nerve
4-Maxillary nerve

Structure passing
through cavernous
sinus
1-internal carotid
artery
2-abducent nerve
 Tributaries of cavernous sinus
It receive blood from three sources
1-orbit
2-meningis
3-brain
From orbit From brain
1-superior ophthalmic vein 1-Superior middle cerebral vein
2-inferior ophthalmic vein 2-Inferior cerebral vein
3-central vein of retina(sometimes)
From meninges
1-Anterior trunk of middle meningeal vein
2-sphenoparietal sinus
 Communications of cavernous sinus
1-transverse sinus via superior petrosal sinus
2-internal jugler vein via inferior petrosal sinus
3-pterugoid venous plexus via emissary veins
4-fascial vein via two routes
i-superior 0phthalmic vein – angular vein – facial vein
ii-emissary veins- pterygoid venous plexus-deep facial vein-facial vein
5-opposite cavernous via
i-Ant. Intercavernous sinus
ii-Post. Intervavernous sinus
6-Superior sagittal sinus via superior middle cerebral vein
7-Internal vertebral venous plexus via basilar venous plexus
 Superior sagittal sinus
-lie between the two layers of falx cerebri.
-begins at crista galli & posteriorly deviates in to the
right transverse sinus at internal occipital protuberance
& continue as sigmoid sinus.
-size gradually increase.
FEATURES:
1- triangular in cross section
2-communicates with venous lacunae on each side
3-archnoid granulation projects in to its lumen.
 Tributaries
1-superior cerebral vein
2-parietal emissary vein
3-small veins from nasal cavity
4-veins of frontal sinus.
Inferior sagittal sinus
Small venous channels between the two layers
Of lower free margin of falx cerebri
-it ends by joining great cerebral vein to form straight sinus
-drains the lower part of the medial surface of each cerebral
hemisphere
STRAIGHT SINUS
-lies in the median plane within the junction of falx cerebri &
tentorium cerebri.
-it begins as a continuation of inferior sagittal sinus &
terminates usually in to left transverse sinus which continue as
left sigmoid sinus.

TRANSVERSE SINUS
-begins at the internal occipital protuberance & runs laterally
between the two layers of attached margin of the tentorium
cerebelli.
Right transverse sinus is larger than the left transverse sinus as
right sinus is the continuation of larger superior sagittal sinus
and left is the continuation of smaller straight sinus
 Sigmoid sinus
Each sigmoid sinus is the direct continuation of
transverse sinus
It is sigmoid or “S” shaped
It deeply grooves the mastoid part of the petrous bone
Its terminal part curves downwards and then forward to
the posterior margin of the jugular foramen and
continue as internal jugular vein.
Tributaries
1-Mastoid and condylar emissary vein
2-Cerebellar veins
3-Internal auditory vein.
 Occipital Sinus

It lies between the two attached margins of falx cerebelli.

-Runs downwards from the internal occipital
protuberance to the posterior margin of the foramen
magnum and drain in to sigmoid sinus
Basilar venous plexus
Consists of network of veins lying between the two
layers of dura on clivus.
-connect the two inferior petrosal sinus and communicate
with internal vertebral venous plexus.
Receives blood from pones and medulla.
Sphenoparietal sinus
-lie along the posterior free margin of lesser wing of
sphenoid and drain in to the anterior part of cavernous
sinus
Superior petrosal sinus
-Lie in the attached anterior margin of tentorium cerebelli
and crosses over trigeminal nerve.
Inferior petrosal sinus
-Lie in petro-occipital suture.
Petrosquamous sinus
Lie in the Petrosquamous suture if present and drain in to
transverse sinus.