How is cavernous sinus related to pterygoid plexus?
The pterygoid plexus communicates with the cavernous sinus through the foramina ovale, spinosum, and rotundum. Blood also leaves the superior and inferior ophthalmic veins to enter first the anterior facial vein, then goes to a separate channel that connects the internal and external jugular veins.
What is the clinical significance of the pterygoid plexus?
The function of the pterygoid venous plexus is to collect the blood from the palate, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, and auditory tube. The veins of pterygoid plexus converge on its anterior end to form the maxillary vein, which conveys the blood from the plexus into the retromandibular vein.
What drains into pterygoid plexus?
In addition, the inferior ophthalmic vein and deep facial vein also drain into the pterygoid plexus. The plexus itself drains via the short maxillary vein before it forms the retromandibular vein. Emissary veins also anastomose between the plexus and the cavernous sinus, via the foramina ovale and lacerum.
What is found in the cavernous sinus?
The cavernous sinus comprises multiple trabeculated venous channels that contain portions of the ocular motor cranial nerves (cranial nerves three, four, and six), the first and second divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the internal carotid artery, and the ocular sympathetic nerves.
Where does the pterygoid venous plexus drain into?
maxillary vein
The pterygoid plexus of veins becomes the maxillary vein. The maxillary vein and the superficial temporal vein later join to become the retromandibular vein. The posterior branch of the retromandibular vein and posterior auricular vein then form the external jugular vein, which empties into the subclavian vein.
What is the pterygoid venous plexus?
The pterygoid venous plexus is an extensive valveless plexus of veins that parallels the medial two thirds of the maxillary artery on the lateral aspect of the medial pterygoid muscle, within the infratemporal fossa.
Where is the pterygoid process?
Two pairs of bony plates, the pterygoid processes, arise from the base of each alisphenoid bone. The outer plates are nearly horizontal in position. They extend from the posterior end of the maxillary bone caudad and laterad to the lateral surface of the tympanic bulla.
Where is the cavernous sinus in the brain?
pituitary fossa
The cavernous sinus is located on either side of the pituitary fossa and body of the sphenoid bone between the endosteal and meningeal layers of the dura. It spans from the apex of the orbit to the apex of the petrous temporal bone.
Is cavernous sinus intracranial?
The CN VI exits the brainstem ventrally at the pontomedullary junction, pierces the dura, and travels the longest intracranial distance of all the cranial nerves. After its long intracranial course, it enters the cavernous sinus, where it is surrounded by venous blood, like the internal carotid artery.
What is the pterygoid plexus and where is it located?
Where is the venous plexus located?
The internal vertebral venous plexus is located beneath the bony elements of the vertebral foramina (laminae, spinous processes, pedicles, and vertebral body). It is embedded in a layer of loose areolar tissue know as the epidural (extradural) adipose tissue.
What is a Pterygoid process?
: a process extending downward from each side of the sphenoid bone in humans and other mammals.
Where does the pterygoid plexus connect to the sinus?
The pterygoid plexus anastomoses anteriorly with the facial vein via the deep facial vein, and superiorly with the cavernous sinus via emissary veins that pass through the sphenoidal emissary foramen (of Vesalius), foramen ovale and foramen lacerum.
Where does blood go after leaving the pterygoid plexus?
The maxillary vein conveys the blood from the pterygoid plexus and goes on to enter the substance of the parotid gland, where it joins the superficial temporal vein to form the retromandibular vein. Pterygoid venous plexus: want to learn more about it?
Where does the drainage of the cavernous sinus go?
Inferiorly, the cavernous sinus drains to the pterygoid plexus and posteriorly, it communicates with the superior and inferior petrosal sinuses. Both drainage systems ultimately converge at the internal jugular vein.
What causes thrombosis in the cavernous sinus?
Infectious cavernous sinus thrombosis results from the progression of facial infections through the facial vein or pterygoid plexus to the cavernous sinus through the superior ophthalmic vein. Sinus and dental infections can also extend into the cavernous sinus.