AUTHOR=Tomasi S. Ottavio , Umana Giuseppe Emmanuele , Scalia Gianluca , Raudino Giuseppe , Graziano Francesca , Palmisciano Paolo , Priola Stefano M. , Cappai Pier Francesco , Capone Crescenzo , Lawrence Peter M. , Erös Christian A. , Martin Klaus D. , Chaurasia Bipin , Maugeri Rosario , Iacopino Gerardo , Da Ros Valerio , Lawton Michael T. , Griessenauer Christoph J. , Winkler Peter A.
TITLE=The Superficial Anastomosing Veins of the Human Brain Cortex: A Microneurosurgical Anatomical Study
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Surgery
VOLUME=8
YEAR=2022
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/surgery/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2021.817002
DOI=10.3389/fsurg.2021.817002
ISSN=2296-875X
ABSTRACT=Introduction: In this microneurosurgical and anatomical study, we characterized the superficial anastomosing veins of the human brain cortex in human specimens.
Material and Methods: 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.
Results: 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.
Conclusion: 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.