Histologic study of arteriovenous shunts in the normal dura mater adjacent to the transverse sinus.
BACKGROUND
Although AV shunts are known to exist in the normal dura mater, their histologic appearance has not been examined in detail. Arteriovenous shunts in the normal dura mater adjacent to the transverse sinus, the most frequent site of DAVFs, were studied histologically.


METHODS
Normal dura mater adjacent to the transverse sinus was obtained from 8 cadavers. Each specimen was cut into approximately 4-microm-thick serial sections; these were stained by the elastic Masson method and examined under a light microscope.


RESULTS
Of the 8 specimens, 5 harbored a total of 6 AV shunts; no shunts were found in the other 3 specimens. The shunts, located in the supratentorial (n = 1) and infratentorial dura mater (n = 4) and in the tentorium cerebelli (n = 1), were classified into 2 types. In direct-type shunts, the artery connected directly to the vein; the diameter of these shunts ranged from 40 to 80 microm. In indirect-type shunts, the artery and vein were parallel and were indirectly connected by a shunt vessel, producing an H shape. The diameter of these shunt vessels ranged from 30 to 45 microm. All 6 shunts were connected to veins or the venous lake; none connected directly to the transverse sinus.


CONCLUSIONS
The existence of direct- and indirect-type AV shunts in the normal dura mater was confirmed histologically. Both types exhibited the histologic features of DAVFs, suggesting that AV shunts in the normal dura mater might be involved in the etiology of DAVFs.
Ishikawa
Toshihito
T
Department of Neurosurgery, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
Sato
Sonomi
S
Sasaki
Tatsuya
T
Matsumoto
Masato
M
Suzuki
Kyouichi
K
Itakura
Takeshi
T
Kodama
Namio
N
Hiraiwa
Kouichi
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001163:Arteriovenous Anastomosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002102:Cadaver; D003392:Cranial Sinuses; D004210:Dissection; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged