Suboccipital myodural bridges revisited: Application to cervicogenic headaches. Issue 7 (10th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kitamura, Kei; Cho, Kwang Ho; Yamamoto, Masahito; Ishii, Michitake; Murakami, Gen; Rodríguez‐Vázquez, José Francisco; Abe, Shin‐Ichi
• Is Part Of: Clinical anatomy. Volume 32:Issue 7(2019)
• Page Start: 914
• Page End: 928
• Publication Date: 2019-06-10
• Subjects: fetuses -- atlas -- cervical -- cervical vertebra axis -- pachymeninx -- elastic fibers -- cervicogenic headaches; Anatomy -- Periodicals; Anatomy -- Periodicals; 611
• DOI: 10.1002/ca.23411
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0897-3806

Abstract

Abstract : There seems to be no complete demonstration of the suboccipital fascial configuration. In 30 human fetuses near term, we found two types of candidate myodural bridge: (1) a thick connective tissue band running between the rectus capitis posterior major and minor muscles (rectus capitis posterior major [Rma], rectus capitis posterior minori [Rmi]; Type 1 bridge; 27 fetuses); and (2) a thin fascia extending from the upper margin of the Rmi (Type 2 bridge; 20 fetuses). Neither of these bridge candidates contained elastic fibers. The Type 1 bridge originated from: (1) fatty tissue located beneath the semispinalis capitis (four fetuses); (2) a fascia covering the multifidus (nine); (3) a fascia bordering between the Rma and Rmi or lining the Rma (13); (4) a fascia covering the inferior aspect of the Rmi (three); and (5) a common fascia covering the Rma and obliquus capitis inferior muscle (nine). Multiple origins usually coexisted in the 27 fetuses. In the minor Type 2 bridge, composite fibers were aligned in the same direction as striated muscle fibers. Thus, force transmission via the thin fascia seemed to be effective along a straight line. However, in the major Type 1 bridges, striated muscle fibers almost always did not insert into or originate from the covering fascia. Moreover, at and near the dural attachment, most composite fibers of Type 1 bridges were interrupted by subdural veins and dispersed around the veins. In newborns, force transmission via myodural bridges was likely to be limited or ineffective. The postnatal growth might determine a likely connection between the bridge and headache. Clin. Anat. 32:914–928, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.