Anat Cell Biol.  2022 Jun;55(2):124-129. 10.5115/acb.21.255.

Discovery of a trans-sellar vascular supply for the pituitary gland

• Spinelli CP
• Iwanaga J
• Hur MS
• Dumont AS
• Tubbs RS

• KMID: 2531197
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.21.255

Abstract

The vasculature of the pituitary gland is discussed briefly and the details of an anatomical discovery of the vessels supplying the pituitary gland provided. Twenty latex injected cadaveric heads were dissected. Any vessels that were found to penetrate the sella turcica and travel to the pituitary gland were documented and measured. Additionally, 25 adult skulls were evaluated for the presence, size, and sites of bony foramina in the floor of sella turcica. Trans-sellar vessels were identified in 65% of specimens. There was a mean of 1.5 vessels per specimen consisting usually of a mixture of veins and arteries. The mean diameter of these vessels was 0.3 mm and the mean length from the sella turcica to the pituitary gland was 2.3 mm. These vessels were concentrated in the most concave part of the sella turcica. In bony specimens, the mean number of transsellar foramina was four. The diameter of these foramina ranged from 0.3 to 0.6 mm in size. The trans-sellar foramina were concentrated near the center part of the sella turcica and had no regular pattern. The pituitary gland receives at least some blood supply and drainage via vessels traveling along the septum of the sphenoidal sinuses and through the sella turcica. Knowledge of such vessels might lead to a better understanding of the vascular supply and drainage of the pituitary gland and would be useful during skull base approaches such as trans-nasal approaches to the pituitary gland.

Keyword

Anatomy; Cadaver; Sphenoid bone; Blood supply; Pituitary gland

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Schematic drawing of the various vessels supplying the pituitary gland.

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  Fig. 2 Lateral view of the pituitary gland noting the trans-sellar blood vessels (arrow) traveling along the septum of sphenoidal sinuses.

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  Fig. 3 Posterior view of the cadaveric specimen with the pituitary gland lifted up and pulled forward. The left black arrow notes a trans-sellar artery, which is off the midline. The right black arrow notes a trans-sellar vein with minimal latex within it but when traced inferiorly, this vessel arose from veins of the mucosa of the septum of sphenoidal sinuses. Inferiorly, the thin wall over the sinus is removed showing the intact mucosa and veins (yellow arrow) in its posterior aspect. These veins were confluent with the veins of the mucosa of the septum. For reference, note the transected internal carotid arteries (ICA), oculomotor nerve (CNIII), and cavernous sinus (CS). The white arrow marks the inferior hypophyseal artery.

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  Fig. 4 Posterior cadaveric view noting a midline trans-sellar vein (arrow) with the pituitary gland lifted up and pulled anteriorly.

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  Fig. 5 Medial view with the pituitary gland lift up and noting trans-sellar arteries (arrows) traveling along the septum of sphenoidal sinuses.

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  Fig. 6 Cadaveric dissection after removal of the posterior wall of the sphenoidal sinus. The left yellow arrow marks a large vein running in the mucosa of the sphenoidal sinus and the right yellow arrow marks a vein on the septum of sinuses. The left white arrow marks the sella turcica. The right white arrow shows a trans-sellar vein arising from the vessels in the septum of sphenoidal sinuses.

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  Fig. 7 Superior view of a dry bone specimen noting a single trans-sellar foramen in the sella turcica (arrow).

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  Fig. 8 Superior view of a dry bone specimen noting multiple trans-sellar foramina in the sella turcica (arrows).

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  Fig. 9 Anterior view with the sphenoidal sinus opened to show the relationship between its septum (arrows) and the sella turcica. All sphenoidal sinuses with trans-sellar vessels were of the sellar type- that is the sphenoidal sinus was well developed and located inferior to the sella turcica.

Reference

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