Veins of the spinal cord
Of all the veins in the body, those on the surface of the spinal cord have been most difficult to study. In life they are transparently thin and at postmortem when collapsed, they are difficult to identify and fragile to handle. While most authors would a
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Of aB the veins in the body, those on the surface of the spinal cord have been most difficult to study. In life they are transparently thin and at postmortem when collapsed, they are difficult to identify and fragile to handle. While most authors would agree that satisfactory filling of the arte rial blond vessels of the spinal cord can be achieved only by injecting the aorta in the intact body (Gillilan, 1958), little success has been reported with venous i~ections. In this chapter we present information on the surface veins of the spinal cord obtained by two methods of injection in the intact body: In the first, following arterial injection we have processed so me specimens by Spalteholz's clearing method excluding bleaching agents. In this way arteries have been shown filled with Micropaque (white) and the veins are filled with blood (black) (Figs. 4.1, 4.3). In the second, retrograde filling of veins by injection through the azygos system as described on page 119 has led to complete filling of the large surface veins. The surface veins of the spinal cord conform to the basic outlines of the arteries, with the exception that there is a well-defined dorsal median longitudinal venous trunk which has no named arterial counterpart. In the adult the veins are large and tortuous, their wavy courses tending to confuse their underlying simple architectural plan. Illustrations have been seIected to demonstrate the salient features of this venous anatomy, with detailed descriptions in the accompanying legends.
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57 I'he hlood suppl)' 01' the vertebral column and spinal u)rd
figure 4.1 A detailed photograph of the anterior surface of the distal third of the spinal cord in a child aged 6 years. The arterial system had been injected with Micropaque and some of the spinal cord veins are shown filled with blood. The specimen has been prepared by fixation and Spalte holz cleari ng of the i ntact vertebral column, followed by careful dissection with removal of the vertebral bodies from the front of the spinal canal. The cord has been illuminated with incident light. The anterior median longitudinal artery of the spinal cord is seen overlying the centrally placed anterior longitudinal venous trunk of the cord. Note the large medullary vein on the right side of the photograph which is partly filled with clotted blood. At the top of the specimen on the right side, a large tributary of the anterior median longitudinal arte rial trunk of the spinal cord can be seen (artery of Adamkiewicz). Note the corresponding segmental artery on the left side, which is minute by comparison, but nonetheless present. Note also that the anterior median longitudinal venous trunk is duplicated in the upper half of its course in this specimen.
58 The blood supply ()f (he vertehral mlumn and spinal cord
figure 4.2 A detailed photograph of the conus medullaris viewed from in front with the cauda equina spread out. Venous injection. Male aged 21 years. The cord was fixed in situ. Note the large single anterior longitudinal venous trunk over the lowe
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