The inferior petrosal sinus is located in the human skull. It is a blood pathway that supplies the brain. Venous blood is transported in it.
What is the inferior petrosal sinus?
The inferior petrosal sinus serves to ensure blood supply to the human brain. Together with many other blood conduits, it transports venous blood. Important as well as vital messengers, oxygen, and nutrients are transported in it. The bloodstream ensures that active substances can be transported from the producing organ to the target in a matter of minutes and sometimes even seconds. Thus, the inferior petrosal sinus plays an important role in supplying organs and transporting active substances. It is located along the petrous bone within the human skull. The petrous bone is also called the pars petrosa ossis temporalis. It is a section of bone located at the base of the temporal bone. The shape of the petrous bone resembles a pyramid. It is located almost centrally when looking at the human skull from a side view and thus just behind the ear. The inferior petrosal sinus is located at the lower edge of the petrous pyramid. It runs parallel to the superior petrosal sinus. The latter is located at the upper edge of the pyramid.
Anatomy and structure
There are cavities in the meninges, which are located in the skull. The meninges are the dura mater. It separates the brain from the bone of the skull. The cavities located in it are important areas through which blood conductors can make their paths. This ensures that the blood supply to the brain runs smoothly. The cavities contain an accumulation of blood from various areas. These include the meninges, the orbit and the brain area. From there, blood flows through the internal jugular vein in the back of the skull from the jugular foramen. This is a small opening in the posterior fossa of the skull. The superior and superior sagittal sinuses are also located there. They join and from the confluence they continue to flow as the transverse sinus. The transverse sinus continues ventrally at the posterior fossa and merges with the sigmoid sinus. From it, there is a connection to the cavernous sinus via the inferior petrosal sinus. The inferior petrosal sinus runs along the upper border of the petrous pyramid.
Function and Tasks
The inferior petrosal sinus is an important blood vessel for ensuring an adequate supply to the brain. Cells, hormones, and blood plasma are transported in it to the site of action. The inferior petrosal sinus drains blood directly from the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a gland that produces important hormones. It takes a predominant role in the regulation of hormones. The hormones it produces are used for growth, reproduction and regulation of metabolism. They include, for example, oxytocin, vasopressin or prolactin. Even though the pituitary gland is supplied by four arteries, physicians like to use the inferior petrosal sinus for blood sampling during procedures in the head region. The wall of the sinus is thinner, making an access route easier and with less discomfort. Furthermore, it contains venous blood, which makes it easier to measure the concentration of all the neurotransmitters in the bloodstream. In addition, important and vital agents are delivered via the inferior petrosal sinus in the event of discomfort or within a surgical procedure. The thermal regulation of individual organs and areas in the brain is carried out via the various blood vessels. Thus, the inferior petrosal sinus plays an important role in temperature regulation. This is especially true for the middle area within the skull.
Diseases
Blood vessels take a central role in cancer. Cancer cells that break away from a tumor are transported through them to a site in the body. They can form new metastases. These in turn can lead to other organs being affected by tumor formation. The cancer can thus spread throughout the body via the transport route of the blood and make the disease much worse. Thromboses of the cranial nerves are among the most common diseases in blood vessels in the brain. They are inflammations. These cause susceptibility in the formation of a thrombus. This is a blood clot that forms within the blood vessel.It obstructs blood flow and causes congestion. The inferior petrosal sinus, like other blood conduits of the human brain, is susceptible to sinus vein thrombosis. It can be triggered by suppuration of the middle ear. The formation of the clot often goes unnoticed by the affected person. Further growth results in blood stasis and feelings of tightness. This is felt as pressure in the head or even a headache. If the clot is not detected, a stroke can occur. This is accompanied by a life-threatening condition as well as a series of failures of functional activities of various brain areas. Paralysis as well as permanent restrictions in the cognitive as well as motor area of the affected person can occur. Sinus vein thrombosis is a rare condition that is mostly diagnosed in middle-aged patients. The thrombus can also be transported out of the brain via the various blood vessels. If it reaches the lungs, it can also block blood vessels there. This leads to an increased risk of pulmonary embolism. This is also classified as life-threatening.
