What does sigmoid sinus mean?

The sigmoid sinus is a large blood vessel that is part of the main venous blood flow that leaves the brain and drains into the jugular vein. The sinus exists on both sides. The sinus is covered normally in bone through the temporal bone near the middle and inner ear.

How is sigmoid sinus treated?

Two approaches have been developed to treat PT patients with SSD successfully: endovascular coiling/stenting7–9,13–15 and transmastoid surgery (sigmoid sinus wall reconstruction). Endovascular treatment is used to embolize the diverticulum by coiling or stenting, thereby correcting the turbulent blood flow in SSD.

What does mastoid sinus mean?

It is more like the bones of the face which house the sinuses. In fact, the mastoid is essentially the sinus of the ear. Sound resonates in the air-filled spaces of the ear including the mastoid. The spaces are lined with mucosa like the lining of your mouth, lungs, or stomach.

What is sigmoid sinus dehiscence?

Sigmoid sinus dehiscence, also known as sigmoid plate dehiscence, refers to a defect in the sigmoid plate such that the sigmoid sinus is not separated by bone from the air in the mastoid air cells.

Is the sigmoid sinus intracranial?

Structure. The sigmoid sinus is a dural venous sinus situated within the dura mater.

Where is the sigmoid sinus in the brain?

The sigmoid sinus is a paired intracranial venous channel. It arises from the transverse sinus at the level where the transverse sinus leaves the tentorium cerebelli. The sigmoid sinus courses along the floor of the posterior cranial fossa to enter the jugular foramen.

Is sigmoid sinus A diverticulum?

Sigmoid sinus diverticulum is a rare vascular finding due to an opening in the bone at the area of the sigmoid sinus creating a pouch, or diverticulum. Sometimes, there may be associated stenosis. The diverticulum may present as pulsatile tinnitus.

Can sinus cause whooshing in ears?

Nasal congestion related to a sinus infection can create abnormal pressure in the middle ear, which impacts normal hearing and may cause the symptoms of tinnitus.

How do you get rid of mastoid sinuses?

If the symptoms don’t quickly improve on IV antibiotics, or complications, like an abscess or bone erosion are present, surgery to remove the infected mastoid bone may be recommended. This is called a mastoidectomy. Chronic mastoiditis is treated with oral antibiotics, eardrops, and regular ear cleanings by a doctor.

Is sigmoid sinus diverticulum and dehiscence?

Sigmoid sinus diverticulum (SSD) is a rare vascular disorder due to dehiscence of the sigmoid plate. It may be associated with prediverticular venous sinus stenosis (SS) and usually presents as pulsatile tinnitus.

What does sigmoid sinus drain into?

Sigmoid sinuses are also paired sinuses known for their S-shape sinus found in the base of the cranial fossa posteriorly. Left and right sigmoid sinuses collectively drain venous blood into the internal jugular vein, which exits at the jugular foramen.

Where is the groove of the sigmoid sinus located?

This groove lies behind the middle of the mastoid, an area of bone behind the ear. It is connected through the mastoid and the condylar messenger veins with the pericranial nerves. The sigmoid and transverse sinus both vary in size.

How can I tell if I have sigmoid sinus dehiscence?

Sigmoid sinus dehiscence/diverticulum is best seen on a dedicated CT radiographic imaging of the ear and surrounding structures (CT temporal bones). The images below are examples of a normal sigmoid sinus (top image) and sigmoid sinus dehiscence.

Which is sinus drains into the mastoid emissary vein?

Left transverse sinus appears hypoplastic with atretic sigmoid sinus. Torcular herophili is sen to drain from dilated occipital sinus, which is seen in continuity with petrosal/petrosquamous sinus (difficult to differentiate), draining into dilated mastoid emissary vein.

How does the sigmoid sinus diverticulum affect the ear?

If the bony barrier is removed, as in the case of sigmoid sinus dehiscence, the normal pulsing sounds of the sinus may travel to the nearby middle and inner ear. A sigmoid sinus diverticulum, on the other hand, causes turbulent blood flow in the area of the diverticulum.