title: The Lumbosacral Dural Venous Sinus: A New Discovery with Potential Clinical Applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditionally, the dural venous sinuses have been described only in the cranium. However, anecdotally, during various neurosurgical intradural procedures in the lumbosacral spine, we noticed an intradural collection of blood. With no prior studies on this in the extant medical literature, the following anatomic investigation seemed warranted.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty fresh frozen adult cadavers were used for the study. The dural sac was exposed and removed. A 30-gauge needle was inserted into the dura mater while not traversing the full thickness of the dura mater. Once the needle was positioned halfway into the thickness of the dura mater, injection of black ink was attempted. Cross-sections of the dural sac were performed, and the sections were stained using hematoxylin and eosin and examined under a light microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spinal venous sinuses were identified between the L5 and S1 levels in 14 (70%) specimens. Transdural vessels were found through the thickness of the dural sac along its entire circumference, but the spinal venous sinus was only identified in the posterior region of the dural sac in the lumbosacral region (L3 to S1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study identified a dural venous sinus located in the dorsal lumbosacral region and near the midline. We suggest this structure be called the lumbosacral venous sinus. Although the function of such a sinus is speculative, knowledge of its presence might benefit those interpreting imaging of this region, especially with regional pathology such as dural arteriovenous fistulas.
authors.affiliation: Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA. Electronic address: joei@seattlesciencefoundation.org.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iwanaga
authors.affiliation: Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, West Indies, Grenada.
authors.forename: Seleipiri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akobo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Adnan Menderes University School of Medicine, Aydın, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turgut
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova/Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yurttas
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, West Indies, Grenada.
authors.forename: Marios
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loukas
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Madrid-Montepríncipe University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reina
authors.affiliation: Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Rod J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Oskouian
authors.affiliation: Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: R Shane
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tubbs
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D020785:Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations / Q000473:pathology; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Anatomy; Dura mater; Meninges; Spinal cord; Vertebrae