Definitions

Batson's vein

Batson's vein

Batson's veins are veins that connect the pelvic veins (draining the inferior end of the urinary bladder and prostate) to the internal vertebral venous plexus. They allow metastasis of cancer from pelvic organs to vertebral column.

Batson's venous plexus are veins without valves that run paravertebrally from pelvic region up into the dural sinuses. Thus, they are a common mode of metastasis of prostate and breast cancer to the vertebrae and the brain. Because of the drainage of urinary system, urinary tract infections like pyelonephritis have been shown to spread to cause osteomyelitis of the vertebrae. The osteomyelitis in such a case will resolve concurrently with the same antibiotic that treats the urinary tract infection because both infections are from the same organism.

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