Venous Plexus of Foramen Ovale (Right)
Plexus venosus foraminis ovalis
Read moreQuick Facts
Origin: Pterygoid plexus.
Course: Ascend through foramen ovale in the sphenoid bone.
Tributaries: None.
Drainage: Drain into cavernous sinus.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The pterygoid plexus of veins, located inside the infratemporal fossa, connects with the cavernous sinus via emissary veins arising from the venous plexus. These include the emissary veins passing through the foramen ovale, sphenoid foramen, and foramen lacerum.
Course
Among the various emissary veins which arise from the pterygoid plexus of veins, some pass through the foramen ovale, a foramen situated in the base of the skull. Upon entering the cranial cavity, the veins drain into the cavernous sinus on either side of the body of the sphenoid bone in the middle cranial fossa (Tubbs, Shoja and Loukas, 2016).
Tributaries
There are no named tributaries.
Structures Drained
The emissary veins of the foramen ovale drain the pterygoid plexus into the cavernous sinus. However, one must be aware of the fact that emissary veins are valveless channels and hence, the blood can flow in either direction.
List of Clinical Correlates
- Cavernous sinus thrombosis
References
Tubbs, R. S., Shoja, M. M. and Loukas, M. (2016) Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. Wiley.
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Plexus
Visceral plexuses are a network of nerve fiber and ganglia surrounding organs of the abdomen and pelvis region that convey sympathetic, parasympathetic, and visceral afferent input.
