The Superficial Anastomosing Veins of the Human Brain Cortex: A Microneurosurgical Anatomical Study

S Ottavio Tomasi, Christian Doppler Clinic, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
Giuseppe Emmanuele Umana, Department of Neurosurgery, Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania, Italy.
Gianluca Scalia, Garibaldi Hospital, Catania, Italy.
Giuseppe Raudino, Humanitas Centro Catanese di Oncologia, Catania, Italy.
Francesca Graziano, Garibaldi Hospital, Catania, Italy.
Paolo Palmisciano, Department of Neurosurgery, Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania, Italy.
Stefano M. Priola, Division of Neurosurgery Health Sciences North, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada.
Pier Francesco Cappai, G. Brotzu Hospital, Cagliari, Italy.
Crescenzo Capone, Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Peter M. Lawrence, Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI), Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Christian A. Erös, Department of Neurosurgery, Städtisches Klinikum Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Klaus D. Martin, Neurochirurgie Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Bipin Chaurasia, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Rosario Maugeri, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Gerardo Iacopino, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Valerio Da Ros, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Michael T. Lawton, Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI), Phoenix, AZ, United States.Follow
Christoph J. Griessenauer, Christian Doppler Clinic, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
Peter A. Winkler, Christian Doppler Clinic, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

In this microneurosurgical and anatomical study, we characterized the superficial anastomosing veins of the human brain cortex in human specimens. We used 21 brain preparations fixed in formalin (5%) that showed no pathological changes and came from the autopsy sections. The superficial veins were dissected out of the arachnoid with the aid of a surgical microscope. We dissected nine female and 12 male brain specimens, with an average age of 71 ± 11 years (range 51-88 years). We classified the superficial veins in five types: (I) the vein of Trolard as the dominat vein; (II) the vein of Labbé as the dominant vein; (III) a dominant sylvian vein group, and the veins of Trolard and Labbé nonexistent or only rudimentary present without contact to the Sylvian vein group; (IV) very weak sylvian veins with the veins of Trolard and Labbé codominant; and V) direct connection of Trolard and Labbé bypassing the Sylvian vein group. The vein of Trolard was dominant (Type I) in 21.4% and the vein of Labbé (Type II) in 16.7%. A dominant sylvian vein group (Type III) was found in 42.9%. Type IV and Type V were found in 14.3 and 4.7% respectively. No systematic description or numerical distribution of the superior anastomotic vein (V. Trolard) and inferior anastomotic vein (V. Labbé) has been found in the existing literature. This study aimed to fill this gap in current literature and provide data to neurosurgeons for the practical planning of surgical approaches.

Publication Date

1-1-2021

Publication Title

Frontiers in surgery

ISSN

2296-875X

Volume

8

First Page

817002

PubMed ID

35083275

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3389/fsurg.2021.817002

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS