Blood supply of the meninges
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At the time the article was created Julian Maingard had no recorded disclosures.
View Julian Maingard's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Sonam Vadera had no recorded disclosures.
View Sonam Vadera's current disclosures- Meningeal blood supply
The blood supply of the meninges generally concerns the blood supply of the outer layer of dura mater rather than the inner layer of dura mater, arachnoid or pia mater which do not require a large blood supply. There are several arteries that supply the dura in the anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossae 1,2.
Blood supply
Anterior cranial fossa
- meningeal branches of
- frontal branch of the middle meningeal artery (which enters the middle cranial fossa via the foramen spinosum) 2,3
Middle cranial fossa
- frontal and parietal branches of the middle meningeal artery
- accessory meningeal artery
- ascending pharyngeal artery
- branches directly from the internal carotid artery 2,3
The supratentorial dura mater is primarily supplied by the middle meningeal artery. This is a branch of the maxillary artery, which, despite its name, primarily supplies the calvarium rather than the meninges 1,2. Clinical importance is given to this artery due to its location in the extradural space and the proximity of its anterior division to the pterion, making it susceptible to damage in head injuries 4.
Posterior cranial fossa
Related pathology
References
- 1. Schuenke M, Schulte E, Schumacher U et-al. Head and Neuroanatomy. Thieme. ISBN:1604062908. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Singh. Textbook of Anatomy with Colour Atlas. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd. ISBN:8180618331. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Stranding S. Gray's Anatomy. Churchill Livingstone. (2011) ISBN:0443066841. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Kulkarni NV. Clinical Anatomy for Students. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers. ISBN:8180617343. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
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