Anatomical study of the internal carotid venous plexus: new findings with application to skull base surgery

Transverse Canal Foramen and Pericarotid Venous Network in Metatheria and Other Mammals

“…It has been suggested that this arrangement provides protection for the artery under conditions of increased intravascular pressure or dampens pulsations within the canal that might be transmitted to, and thus affect, cochlear function (Moreira, 1998; Young et al, 2006). The plexus has also been implicated in stabilization of intracranial pressure during postural changes (Cironi et al, 2022). Such functions seem plausible enough in the case of Homo because of the relatively enormous size of the internal carotid artery, but in marsupials this vessel travels far from the cochlea, especially in taxa with inflated middle ears.…”

“…In Homo and Rattus , the embryonic pituitary vein connects the right and left portions of the CS, passing over the internal carotid arteries as it does so (Padget, 1957; Butler, 1967). This close association implies that in placentals the pituitary vein is the precursor of the ICV plexus, which Cironi et al (2022) describe as concentrated near the junction of the petrous and cavernous parts of the internal carotid artery. It receives tributaries from the inferior petrosal sinus, basilar venous plexus, and inferior petrooccipital vein, as well as branches from the veins surrounding the foramen ovale.…”

“…19A). According to Cironi et al (2022), the homologous internal carotid venous plexus of Homo also forms a venous ring around its artery at the carotid canal entrance.…”

“…Another relevant emissary, joining the IJV and other caudally positioned systemic veins, is the emissary of the carotid canal (= v.e. foraminis carotidis), often called in human anatomies the internal carotid venous plexus (= veins of Rektorzik; Cironi et al, 2022). For simplicity of reference we call all mesocranial venous channels (including mixed-origin veins) pericarotid mesocranial distributaries ( PMDs ) (see appendix 1 for additional details).…”

“…19A). According to Cironi et al (2022), the homologous internal carotid venous plexus of Homo also forms a venous ring around its artery at the carotid canal entrance.In a sense the BVP's route duplicates that of the VPS (fig. 1A, B), but unlike the latter, which travels intradurally along the dorsal surface of the basicranial keel (ossified successor of the chondrocranial central stem), the BVP is consistently extradural (see MacPhee et al, 2021).…”