Anatomic comparison of veins of Labbe between autopsy, digital subtraction angiography and computed tomographic venography

Objective: The drainage portion of the vein of Labbe varies, and it is difficult to predict whether the operation is likely to damage this vein. The aim of this study was to correlate the microanatomy of the vein of Labbe with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and computed tomographic venography (CTV), in order to provide a basis for the preservation of the vein of Labbe during a supratentorial surgical approach. Methods: A total of 30 human cadavers (60 sides) and 61 living patients (110 sides) were examined in this study. Each cadaver head was injected with blue latex via the superior sagittal sinus and the internal jugular veins. The venograms of each patient were obtained from the venous phases of DSA (60 sides for 36 patients) or CTV (50 sides for 25 patients). Results: The patients were divided into four subgroups based on the location where a vein entered the dural sinus: the transverse sinus group, the tentorial group, the petrosal group, and the upper-transverse sinus group. The veins of Labbe in transverse sinus group and petrosal group directly entered dural sinus. The veins of Labbe in tentorial group and upper-transverse sinus group indirectly entered transverse sinus via the tentorium sinus or the upper-transverse sinus. These sinuses were meningeal veins running through two layers of the cerebral dura mater. The length of meningeal veins in these groups was 10.0 +/- 7.2 mm. The veins of Labbe were mainly localized around the STP junction, which was the confluence of sigmoid sinus, transverse sinus, and superior petrosal sinus. The distance between the dural entrance of veins and the STP junction was 16.8 +/- 10.2 mm. There was no significant difference in the results of the DSA and CTV examinations when compared to the observations in cadavers. Conclusions: Preoperative venograms are useful to design an individualized surgical approach for the preservation of the vein of Labbe. In general, the supratentorial median approach has the least chance to damage this vein. However, when preoperative venograms show that the vein of Labbe is too close to the confluence of sinuses or the meningeal veins are too long, an alternative approach should be chosen.