Batson venous plexus explained

Batson venous plexus
Latin:	plexus Batsoni

The Batson venous plexus (Batson veins) is a network of valveless veins in the human body that connect the deep pelvic veins and thoracic veins (draining the inferior end of the urinary bladder, breast and prostate) to the internal vertebral venous plexuses.^[1] Because of their location and lack of valves, they are believed to provide a route for the spread of cancer metastases.^{[2] [3]} These metastases commonly arise from cancer of the pelvic organs such as the rectum^[4] and prostate^[5] and may spread to the vertebral column or brain.^{[6] [7]} The plexus is named after anatomist Oscar Vivian Batson, who first described it in 1940.^[8] Batson's plexus is part of the Cerebrospinal venous system.

Batson's venous plexus may also allow the spread of infection in a similar manner. neuroschistomiasis,^[9] Urinary tract infections like pyelonephritis have been shown to spread to cause osteomyelitis of the vertebrae via this route. The osteomyelitis in such a case will resolve concurrently with the same antibiotic that treats the urinary tract infection because both infections are from the same organism.

Notes and References

1. 10.1097/00007632-199306150-00013 . Relationship of the dura, Hofmann's ligaments, Batson's plexus, and a fibrovascular membrane lying on the posterior surface of the vertebral bodies and attaching to the deep layer of the posterior longitudinal ligament. An anatomical, radiologic, and clinical study. Wiltse LL . Fonseca AS . Amster J . Dimartino P . Ravessoud FA. . Spine . 1993-06-15 . 18 . 1030–43 . 8367771 . 8.
2. Batson's theory of vertebral venous metastasis: a review. Onuigbo WI. Oncology . 1975. 32 . 145–50 . 10.1159/000225060 . 1221328 . 3–4.
3. Sulla diffusione delle metastasi attraverso il circolo di Batson. (On the spread of metastases through Batson's circle). Zeccolini R, Salvi V . La Radiologia Medica. April 1981. 67. 257–8. 7313162. 4.
4. Myelophthisis as a solitary manifestation of failure from rectal carcinoma. A Batson phenomenon? . Mathew P, Fleming D, Adegboyega PA . Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine . August 2000 . 124 . 8 . 1228–30. 10.5858/2000-124-1228-MAASMO. 10923090 .
5. Models for cancer skeletal metastasis: a reappraisal of Batson's plexus. Geldof AA. Anticancer Research . May–Jun 1997. 17. 1535–9 . 9179192 . 3A.
6. Importanza del plesso di Batson nella determinazione di metastasi cerebrali isolate. (Importance of Batson's plexus in the determination of isolated cerebral metastases) . D'Agostino G, Bigotti A, Pace G . Tumori . May–Jun 1967 . 53 . 237–43 . 6051938 . 3. 10.1177/030089166705300305 . 208180853 .
7. Cavernous sinus syndrome caused by metastatic colon carcinoma. Oneç B, Oksüzoğlu B, Hatipoğlu HG, Oneç K, Azak A, Zengin N . Clinical Colorectal Cancer. July 2007. 6 . 593–6 . 10.3816/CCC.2007.n.028 . 17681107 . 8.
8. 10.1097/00000658-194007000-00016 . The function of the vertebral veins and their role in the spread of metastasis. Batson OV. Annals of Surgery. July 1940. 112 . 138–49 . 17857618 . 1 . 1387927.
9. 34884223 . 2021 . Carbonell . C. . Rodríguez-Alonso . B. . López-Bernús . A. . Almeida . H. . Galindo-Pérez . I. . Velasco-Tirado . V. . Marcos . M. . Pardo-Lledías . J. . Belhassen-García . M. . Clinical Spectrum of Schistosomiasis: An Update . Journal of Clinical Medicine . 10 . 23 . 5521 . 10.3390/jcm10235521 . 8672275 . free .