The cavernous sinus: An anatomic study with clinical implication.

OBJECTIVE: The management of lesions involving the cavernous sinus remains a formidable challenge. To optimize care for patients with tumors extending into this skull base region a detailed understanding of the surrounding osteology as well as neural and vascular relationships is requisite. This thesis examines the gross anatomy of the region and highlights important surgical implications drawn from these as well as previously published studies.

METHODS: A review of the historical scientific, anatomic, clinical, and surgical literature extending to the present (1992) relating to the cavernous sinus has been performed and discussed. Additionally, the author has performed and described cadaveric dissections revealing novel details about the macroscopic (dural and neurovascular anatomic relationships) and microscopic structure of the cavernous sinus. A series of cases of cavernous sinus pathologies that were addressed in an interdisciplinary surgical approach at the author's institution is also reported.

RESULTS: Included in this report is a comprehensive review of the embryology of the cavernous sinus and its associated neurovascular structures. Cadaveric dissections have also revealed novel details about dural/meningeal compartments of the cavernous sinus as well as well as associated arterial, venous, and neural relationships. Microscopic observations also reveal novel fundamental insights into the components and structure of the cavernous sinus. Clinical examples from 20 patients illustrate the critical importance for clinical application of cavernous sinus anatomic knowledge to the surgical treatment of pathologies in this region.

CONCLUSION: The cavernous sinus is a tripartite venous osteomeningeal compartment intimately neighboring vital structures including the optic tracts, pituitary gland, cranial nerves III, IV, V, V, VI, and the internal carotid artery. Surgical management of cavernous sinus lesions has and continues to evolve with increasing anatomic and clinical study as well as advancements in diagnostic and surgical methodologies.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA.