Cavernous sinus syndrome

The cavernous sinus within the human head, is one of the dural venous sinuses creating a cavity called the lateral sellar compartment bordered by the temporal bone of the skull and the sphenoid bone, lateral to the sella turcica.Oblique section through the cavernous sinus.Veins of orbit.Cavernous sinus The cavernous sinus within the human head, is one of the dural venous sinuses creating a cavity called the lateral sellar compartment bordered by the temporal bone of the skull and the sphenoid bone, lateral to the sella turcica. The cavernous sinus is one of the dural venous sinuses of the head. It is a network of veins that sit in a cavity, approximately 1 x 2 cm in size in an adult. The carotid siphon of the internal carotid artery, and cranial nerves III, IV, V (branches V1 and V2) and VI all pass through this blood filled space. The cavernous sinus receives blood from: Blood leaves the sinus via superior and inferior petrosal sinuses as well as via the emissary veins through the foramina of the skull (mostly through foramen ovale). There are also connections with the pterygoid plexus of veins via inferior ophthalmic vein, deep facial vein and emissary veins Apart from the blood which passes through a venous sinus, several anatomical structures, including some cranial nerves and their branches, also pass through the sinus. Structures within the outer (lateral) wall of the compartment from superior to inferior: Structures passing through the midline (medial) wall: These nerves, with the exception of CN V2, pass through the cavernous sinus to enter the orbital apex through the superior orbital fissure. The maxillary nerve, division V2 of the trigeminal nerve travels through the lower portion of the sinus and exits via the foramen rotundum. The maxillary branch passes external to, but immediately adjacent to, the lateral wall of the sinus) A mnemonic exists to remember the orientation of the vertical and horizontal content of the sinus: O TOM CAT. (OTOM are the lateral wall contents from superior to inferior; CAT are the horizontal contents from medial to lateral)