The transcerebral laterocavernous vein, a form of persisting primitive tentorial sinus.

The superficial middle cerebral vein (SMCV) commonly drains in the cavernous sinus. Its different drainage variants include preserved segments of the primitive tentorial sinus. In any of these variants, the terminal venous segment of SMCV passes on the base of the skull. The archived computed tomography angiograms of a 58-year-old female case were documented anatomically. On the left side was found the sinus of the lesser sphenoidal wing converging with the middle meningeal vein to form a venous channel located within the Sylvian fissure at 4 mm laterally to the cavernous sinus and trigeminal cavum. That venous channel was thus termed the 'laterocavernous vein'. It drained posteriorly within the superior petrosal sinus. This aberrant vein could interfere unpleasantly with pterional neurosurgical approaches for the Sylvian fissure, cavernous sinus or trigeminal ganglion.

Labbé vein thrombosis.

PURPOSE: Evaluate the prevalence of Labbé vein thrombosis (LVT) and its liability for the lesions observed in the case of associated ipsilateral transverse sinus thrombosis (TST). METHODS: MRI findings of 58 consecutive patients (≥ 18 years) with acute LVT and TST (group 1) were compared with those of 149 patients with acute TST-no LVT (group 2) observed during the same period. RESULTS: The prevalence of LVT was 15.2%. Group 1: TST extended to sigmoid sinus in 94.8%, resulting in complete sinuses occlusion. Any lesion was observed in 81% within LV territory: swelling (n = 5, 8.6%), edema (n = 9; 15.5%), non-hemorrhagic Infarct (n = 1; 1.7%), multiple temporal lobe hemorrhages (n = 31; 53.5%), temporal lobe hematoma (n = 13; 22.4%), and pericerebral hemorrhages (n = 28; 50%). The hemorrhagic lesions were not related to dominant TST or to extensive venous thrombosis. There was a prevalence of left TST- LVT (n = 32; 55.2%) and a higher prevalence of hemorrhagic lesions in this subset (59.4%). Risk factors were also associated (p = 0.03). Group 2: the TST resulted in an occlusion of the TS: (i) complete (n = 16; 10.7%); (ii) incomplete (n = 97; 82.8%); and (iii) segmental, involving the TS before (n = 32; 21.5%) or after (n = 10; 6.7%) LV ending within the TS. No parenchymal/pericerebral lesions were associated. CONCLUSION: This study shows a strong association between the following: (i) the extent of thrombosis in the TS and the presence of LVT (p < 0.0001), (ii) the concomitance of LVT-TST and the presence of lesions in the LV territory and at the temporo-frontal convexity, (iii) risk factors and group 1 (p = 0.03).

Vein of Labbe Thrombosis-A missed culprit.

Thrombosis of vein of Labbe is an uncommon finding and usually tends to occur along with extensive dural venous sinus thrombosis. Clinical presentation varies from headache to aphasia, dysarthria and upper motor neuron weakness symptoms. Recognized risk factors for thrombosis should be considered while diagnosis. MR venogram remains investigation of choice for detection and to look for the extent of thrombosis.

Convexity dural arteriovenous fistula with Sylvian-Labbé collateral pattern: A case report.

Convexity dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) is associated with high-grade dAVF and is usually presented with aggressive clinical presentation. Precise diagnosis and understanding the pathogenesis are important to achieving successful treatment without complications. We report a case of dAVF with Sylvian-Labbé collateral pattern, concerning embryological development that was thought to be involved in the vascular architecture and pathogenesis of dural AVF. Thus, a 60-year-old man was presented with sudden onset of seizure with no history of trauma. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed cortical hemorrhage in the left precentral gyrus. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed the convexity dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) involving a vein that appeared to be the vein of Labbé, the drainer was anastomosed with superior middle cerebral vein (SMCV) and formed the varix. With the successful treatment with trans-arterial embolization (TAE), obliteration of dAVF was achieved with no neurological deficits. This case highlights convexity dAVF with the complex relationship between embryological development and the arcade of venous drainage route, wherein the anomaly might be acquired and caused by elevated venous pressure in a vein that appeared to be the vein of Labbé. Gaining knowledge of the embryological basis may aid in a deeper understanding of acquired pathologies.

Surgical Thrombectomy for Extensive Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis after COVID-19 Vaccination : A Novel Surgical Technique and Literature Review.

Surgical treatment of refractory and extensive cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) has limited applications. Here, we describe an open, direct sinus thrombectomy in the early phase of extensive CVST. A 49-year-old man with extensive CVST that occurred after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and affected the drainage of the Labbé vein presented with clinical deterioration and left temporal hemorrhagic infarction. Since the patient had extensive CVST, we determined that systemic anticoagulation and endovascular treatment were not suitable treatment options. Therefore, we decided on an emergency surgical treatment and performed direct surgical thrombectomy. We followed extended suboccipital approach and made multiple incisions on the sinuses, exposing the posterior superior sagittal sinus to the transverse sigmoid junction. Consequently, the clinical condition of the patient dramatically improved, resulting in a favorable outcome with a modified Rankin Scale score of 0. Performing emergency open surgical thrombectomy was a technically feasible treatment option that recanalized obstructed sinuses. Importantly, the patient recovered with a good clinical outcome. Early maximal surgical thrombectomy is an effective and lifesaving method to treat extensive CVST with hemorrhagic infarction.

An Illustrative Case of Vein of Labbe Thrombosis Presented as a Glioma.

Cerebral vein thrombosis is a unique and rare type of cerebrovascular disease. The main challenge in identifying cerebral vein thrombosis is the presence of vague signs and symptoms that can resemble a variety of other intracranial pathologies. Our goal is to present the unique case of a young patient whose MRI scan revealed an abnormally enhancing tumor-like brain lesion that was heterogeneous in intensity and whose intraoperative view and histopathological findings were consistent with the vein of Labbe thrombosis, with ipsilateral transverse and sigmoid sinus involvement.

A New Classification of the Anatomical Variations of Labbé's Inferior Anastomotic Vein.

(1) Background: The inferior anastomotic vein of Labbé (LV) courses on the temporal lobe, from the sylvian fissure towards the tentorium cerebelli and finishes at the transverse sinus (TS). The importance of the LV topography is related to skull base neurosurgical approaches. Based on the hypothesis of the existence of as yet unidentified anatomical possibilities of the LV, we aimed through this research to document the superficial venous topographic patterns at the lateral and inferior surfaces of the temporal lobe. (2) Methods: A retrospective cohort of 50 computed tomography angiograms (CTAs) of 32 males and 18 females was documented. (3) Results: Absent (type 0) LVs were found in 6% of cases. Anterior (temporal, squamosal-petrosal-mastoid, type 1) LVs were found in 12% of cases. LVs with a posterior, temporoparietal course (type 2) were found to be bilateral in 46% of cases and unilateral in 36% of cases. Type 3 LVs (posterior, parietooccipital) were found to be bilateral in 8% and unilateral in 32% of cases. In 24% of cases, duplicate LVs were found that were either complete or incomplete. A quadruplicate LV was found in a male case. On 78 sides, the LV drained either into a tentorial sinus or into the TS. (4) Conclusions: The anatomy of the vein of Labbé is variable in terms of its course, the number of veins and the modality of drainage; thus, it should determine personalized neurosurgical and interventional approaches. A new classification of the anatomical variations of Labbé's vein, as detected on the CTAs, is proposed here (types 0-3).

Isolated thrombosis of cortical veins - Clinical and radiological correlation.

Isolated cortical venous thrombosis (ICVT) is a relatively rare clinical entity with non-specific clinical presentations. Anatomical variations in cortical veins and the lack of a gold standard imaging feature make the diagnosis of ICVT challenging. Headache and seizures were the most common presentations. The Vein of Trolard followed by superficial middle cerebral vein (SMCV) were the most commonly involved. Susceptibility Weighted Imaging (SWI) cord sign was observed in 100% of the cases. CT cord sign and filling defects on contrast enhanced CT were evident in 46.7% and 10% of the cases, respectively. Notably, in the absence of filling defect visualized on contrast CT, MRI, replacement of flow void was the surrogate marker for the ICVT. A high index of clinical suspicion, a thorough understanding of neurovascular anatomy, multiparametric, multiplanar MRI protocol is required to diagnose this rare entity. A serpiginous blooming structure within the subarachnoid space identifiable in less than two contiguous sections on SWI in the vicinity of haemorrhagic infarction should alert the clinician to the imaging possibility of ICVT.

The Superficial Anastomosing Veins of the Human Brain Cortex: A Microneurosurgical Anatomical Study.

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.

Venous Anatomy Influence on the Approach Selection of a Petroclival Clear Cell Meningioma With Associated Multiple Spinal Meningiomas: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.

Preoperative careful evaluation of the sigmoid transverse sinus and its tributary veins is paramount for the safe surgical planning of petroclival lesions.1,2 When the vein of Labbé is running within the tentorium, classic petrosal approach involving transection of the tentorium is modified to avoid the risk of postoperative morbid temporal lobe venous infarcts.1-3 Thus, the surgical plan should be tailored to the specific patient anatomy as demonstrated in the presented case during which a transmastoid approach was followed, in the same surgical setting, by a middle fossa approach to resect a large petroclival clear cell meningioma with extension into Meckel cave. These meningiomas are WHO grade II tumors with a propensity to local recurrence and cerebrospinal fluid seeding.4 SMARCE1 mutations define this subtype of meningioma, with frequent familial inheritance, and predispose patients to both skull base and spinal clear cell meningiomas.5,6 Maximal surgical resection is the best initial treatment option allowing to withhold or delay the use of radiation in tumors frequently encountered in young patients.7 In this report, we demonstrate the microsurgical techniques deployed to achieve maximal resection of a petroclival clear cell meningioma and associated lumbar and sacral spinal meningiomas in a 20-yr-old patient with a familial SMARCE1 mutation. The patient agreed to the surgical intervention and to the use of her image.

Vein of Labbe thrombosis, a near-miss.

Emergency department visits for a headache are relatively common, and in most cases, the etiologies of the headache are typically benign. We present a case of a patient who presented to the emergency room for new onset of unremitting unilateral headache. She subsequently had two hospital visits and three separate imaging modalities to identify vein of Labbe thrombosis. The vein of Labbe is a relatively smaller vein which runs superficially and laterally. In our patient, a cerebral venous thrombosis (CTV) was unable to identify vein of Labbe thrombosis, requiring eventually a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with and without contrast to identify the culprit etiology. CTV is frequently used in the acute setting due to its speed of acquisition and shorter wait times in the hospital. For patients that fit criteria for venous sinus thrombosis, we caution the use of CTV in identifying the causative etiology, and would consider the MRI as a better imaging modality for these patients.

Neonatal Vein of Labbé Infarction Size is Associated With Long-Term Language Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The vein of Labbé is a superficial cortical vein, which drains the lateral surface of the temporal lobe. Thrombosis of the vein of Labbé can occur in the neonatal period. The developmental outcomes of infants who had vein of Labbé thrombosis are unknown as few studies of outcomes exist. METHODS: We completed a retrospective review of infants born ≥34 weeks of gestation, diagnosed with vein of Labbé thrombosis, and/or infarction on neuroimaging during the first 30 days of life. Size of each temporal lobe infarction was estimated based on the number of temporal lobe segments involved. Primary outcomes were the presence of major neurodevelopmental impairments in childhood and Bayley scores at two years. RESULTS: Our cohort of 19 infants had a median gestational age of 38 weeks (interquartile range 36 to 39) and mean birth weight 2892 ± 920 grams. The most common presenting symptoms of vein of Labbé thrombosis and infarction of surrounding tissue were seizures, apnea, lethargy, and either hypertonia or hypotonia. At the latest clinical follow-up appointment documented in the electronic medical record (mean 4.4 ± 3.08 years), 44% had major neurodevelopmental impairment. Patients with large vein of Labbé infarctions had significantly worse average Bayley scores than those with small to moderate lesions, and differences in language composite were statistically significant (72.7 vs 107.8, P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Neonates with large vein of Labbé infarctions are more likely to have poor language outcomes. This finding suggests a need for targeted surveillance to ensure early identification of deficits and referral for intervention.

The Anterolateral Limit of the Occipital Lobe: An Anatomical and Imaging Study.

Objectives The boundaries of the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the anterior portion of the occipital lobe (OL) are poorly defined. Lesions in these areas can be difficult to localize. Therefore, we studied the anterolateral limit of the OL to identify reliable anatomical landmarks. Design In 10 formalin-fixed cadaveric heads, the boundaries of the OL and relative anatomical landmarks were studied. Main Outcome Measures Distances between the following structures were measured: (1) preoccipital tentorial plica (POTP) to the junction between lambdoid suture and superior border of the transverse sinus (POTP-SL), (2) POTP to the sinodural angle of Citelli (POTP-PP), (3) lambda to parietooccipital sulcus (L-POS), and (4) preoccipital notch to termination of the vein of Labbé (PON-VL). Landmarks in 559 computed tomography and magnetic resonance images were also studied. Results The POTP was found on the tentorium of all anatomical specimens, located at the same coronal level as the PON and its attachment to the bony protuberance (BP) at the lateral cranial wall. The mean distances were POTP-SL, 6.5 ± 6.4 mm; POTP-PP, 18.1 ± 7.8 mm; L-POS, 10.8 ± 5.0 mm; and PON-VL, 8.8 ± 10.1 mm. Conclusion Osseous (asterion, lambda, and BP), dural (POTP), and vascular (VL) landmarks can be used as reference structures to identify the anterolateral limit of the OL.

Balloon protection of the Labbé vein during transarterial embolization of a dural arterio-venous fistula.

INTRODUCTION: Endovascular treatment of type III dural arterio-venous fistulas can be challenging if the fistulous point is close to a functionally important cortical vein. METHODS: A technique is described for temporary balloon protection of the vein of Labbé during transarterial Onyx embolization of a type III dural arterio-venous fistula. One illustrative case is presented. Careful anatomic consideration of the concerned venous segment (at the insertion point into the lateral sinus) and the choice of balloon minimized the risk of venous rupture. RESULTS: Using this method, satisfactory progression of Onyx was obtained within the arterio-venous shunt while preserving the patency of the Labbé vein. CONCLUSION: Temporary balloon protection of the Labbé vein is a feasible option to preserve its patency during embolization of dural arterio-venous fistulas. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the use of temporary balloon protection of a cortical vein.

Computed tomographic angiography of the superficial cerebral venous anastomosis based on volume rendering, multi-planar reconstruction, and integral imaging display.

As damage to the superficial cerebral venous anastomosis may create catastrophic complications even after successful surgery, it is important to visualize and determine the normal features of the venous anastomosis with computed tomographic angiography. A total of 90 patients underwent a 64-detector row helical CT scan of head. The superficial cerebral venous anastomosis was reconstructed by volume rendering, multi-planar reconstruction, and integral display algorithm. In particular, we examined the vein of Trolard, the vein of Labbe, and the vein of Sylvian, in order to analyze the venous anastomosis. The superficial cerebral venous anastomosis varied across different individuals, and in this study, six types of anastomosis were found. In 28 % of patients, no venous anastomosis was found in the unilateral cerebral hemisphere. The display rate of the vein of Trolard, the vein of Labbe, and the vein of Sylvian in contributing to venous anastomosis was 70, 80, and 91 %, respectively. The number of vein of Trolard and vein of Labbe on the left side was greater than that of those on the right side. We implemented the 64-detector row helical CT as a rapid and noninvasive method to investigate the superficial cerebral venous anastomosis in our group of patients. We performed substantial image processing for the visualization of the superficial cerebral venous anastomosis; this would not only enable the early diagnosis of cerebral venous disease, but also protect the cerebral vein during neurosurgical intervention.