Emissary veins

The emissary veins are valveless veins which normally drain external veins of the skull into the dural venous sinuses. However, because they are valveless, pus can flow into the skull through them as well, making them a possible route for transmission of extracranial infection to get into the skull.

One important emissary vein communicates from outside the skull through the sphenoidal emissary foramen inferior to the zygomatic arch with the cavernous sinus on the inside of the skull. This is an important route for spread of infection because cranial nerves III, IV, V1, V2, and VI and the internal carotid pass through the cavernous sinus. Subsequent infection or inflammation in the cavernous sinus can result in damage to any of the cranial nerves that pass through it or meningitis. Also, rupturing the emissary veins will result in a subdural hematoma which will compress the brain.

See also

• Occipital emissary vein

External links

• Emissary+vein at eMedicine Dictionary

This cardiovascular system article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e