Microvascular repair of an injured cortical draining vein.
BACKGROUND
Cortical venous injury can occur during any intracranial procedure with potentially severe consequences. We describe a simple technique that allowed for successful repair of a large cortical draining vein.


METHODS
A 43-year-old, right-handed woman presented with 6 months of headaches and progressive difficulty with right-sided hemiparesis. She had significant loss of hand coordination and writing ability. Computed tomography and MR imaging revealed a parasagittal meningioma in the left, posterior frontal region. The patient underwent craniotomy with resection of the lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
When a cortical vein is injured, collateral drainage pathways may prevent the development of a clinical problem. Because of the unpredictability of these collateral channels, venous reconstruction may be feasible and even straightforward in some cases.
Nussbaum
Eric S
ES
National Brain Aneurysm Center, St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Paul, MN 55102, USA. lnussbaum@comcast.net
Defillo
Archie
A
Janjua
Tariq
T
Nussbaum
Leslie A
LA
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003399:Craniotomy; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008579:Meningioma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*