The occipital sinus is the smallest of the dural venous sinuses. It is usually unpaired, and is sometimes altogether absent. It is situated in the attached margin of the falx cerebelli. It commences near the foramen magnum, and ends by draining into the confluence of sinuses.

Occipital sinus
Dural veins
The sinuses at the base of the skull. (Occipial sinus visible at bottom center, below the foramen magnum on image.)
Details
Drains toConfluence of sinuses
Identifiers
Latinsinus occipitalis
TA98A12.3.05.105
TA24855
FMA50781
Anatomical terminology

Occipital sinuses were discovered by Guichard Joseph Duverney.[citation needed]

Anatomy

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The occipital sinus is present in around 65% of individuals.[1] It is usually single, but occasionally paired.[2]

It is situated in the attached margin of the falx cerebelli.[2]

Course

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The occipital sinus commences around the margin of the foramen magnum[2] by several small venous channels (one of which joins the terminal part of the sigmoid sinus). It terminates by draining into the confluence of the sinuses.[3]

Communications

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The occipital sinus communicates with the marginal sinus,[3] and posterior internal vertebral venous plexuses.[2]

Additional images

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References

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  1. ^ "Sinus occipitalis". Ars Neurochirurgica. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Gray, Henry (1918). Gray's Anatomy (20th ed.). p. 658.
  3. ^ a b Gray's anatomy : the anatomical basis of clinical practice. Susan Standring (Forty-second ed.). [New York]. 2021. p. 404. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)