Venous plexus of hypoglossal canal explained

Venous plexus of hypoglossal canal
Latin:	plexus venosus canalis nervi hypoglossi, circellus venosus hypoglossi, rete canalis hypoglossi

The venous plexus of hypoglossal canal is a small venous plexus surrounding the hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII)^[1] as it passes through the hypoglossal canal.^{[2] [3] [4]} The plexus connects with the occipital sinus (intercranially), inferior petrosal sinus (intercranially), internal jugular vein (extracranially), condylar vein, and paravertebral venous plexus.

Anatomy

Anatomical studies have demonstrated that the venous plexus is the dominant structure of the hypoglossal canal. Research has shown that the size of the hypoglossal canal varies in relation to an individual's skull size, suggesting that the venous plexus functions as an essential emissary veinous structure.

Variation

Occasionally, it may be a single vein rather than a venous plexus.

Clinical significance

A case report described an instance of a dilated venous plexus of hypoglossal canal portruding into the cerebellomedullary cistern and thus mimicking a pathological mass upon MRI imaging.^[5]

References

1. Web site: venous plexus of hypoglossal canal . 2023-07-31 . TheFreeDictionary.com . en.
2. Tatagiba . M. . Koerbel . A. . Roser . F. . September 2006 . The midline suboccipital subtonsillar approach to the hypoglossal canal: surgical anatomy and clinical application . Acta Neurochirurgica . en . 148 . 9 . 965–969 . 10.1007/s00701-006-0816-3 . 0001-6268.
3. Wysocki . Jarosław . Kobryń . Henryk . Bubrowski . Mariusz . Kwiatkowski . Jan . Reymond . Jerzy . Skarzyńska . Bozena . February 2004 . The morphology of the hypoglossal canal and its size in relation to skull capacity in man and other mammal species . Folia Morphologica . 63 . 1 . 11–17 . 0015-5659 . 15039894.
4. Okahara . M. . Kiyosue . H. . Tanoue . S. . Sagara . Y. . Hori . Y. . Kashiwagi . J. . Mori . H. . March 2007 . Selective transvenous embolization of dural arteriovenous fistulas involving the hypoglossal canal . Interventional Neuroradiology: Journal of Peritherapeutic Neuroradiology, Surgical Procedures and Related Neurosciences . 13 . 1 . 59–66 . 10.1177/159101990701300108 . 1591-0199 . 3329168 . 20566131.
5. Stuckey . Stephen L. . 1999-01-01 . Dilated Venous Plexus of the Hypoglossal Canal Mimicking Disease . American Journal of Neuroradiology . en . 20 . 1 . 157–158 . 0195-6108 . 9974073.

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