Vertebral Venous System

Vertebral Venous System

• Is a valveless plexiform of veins, forming interconnecting channels.

A. Internal vertebral venous plexus

• Lies in the epidural space between the wall of the vertebral canal and the dura mater and receives tributaries from the spinal cord and vertebrae, vertebral veins, basilar plexus, and occipital and sigmoid dural sinuses.
• Forms anterior and posterior ladder-like configurations by anastomosing longitudinal and transverse veins.
• Drains into segmental veins by the intervertebral veins that pass through the intervertebral and sacral foramina. The anterior veins receive the basivertebral veins , which lie within the vertebral bodies.
• Also communicates superiorly with the cranial dural sinuses, inferiorly with the pelvic vein, and in the thoracic and abdominal regions with both the azygos and caval systems.
• Is thought to be the route of early metastasis of carcinoma from the lung, breast, and prostate gland to bones and the central nervous system (CNS).

B. External vertebral venous plexus

• Consists of the anterior part, which lies in front of the vertebral column, and the posterior part, which lies on the vertebral arch.
• Communicates with the internal venous plexus by way of the intervertebral and basivertebral veins and also with the vertebral, posterior intercostal, lumbar, and lateral sacral veins.

C. Vertebral vein

• Arises from the venous plexuses around the foramen magnum and in the suboccipital region , passes with the vertebral artery through the transverse foramina of the upper six cervical vertebrae, and empties into the brachiocephalic vein .

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