cavernous sinus

location

sphenoid bone
paired structures on either side of sella turcica

cavernous sinus grays.png

part of the Oculosympathetic pathway

structures passing through

  • internal carotid artery
  • abducens nerve CN6

veins draining into cavernous sinus

  • Superior and inferior ophthalmic vein → see Orbital blood supply
  • Superficial middle cerebral vein
  • Inferior cerebral vein
  • Sphenoparietal sinus
  • Emissary veins from pterygoid plexus
    • no valves! hence source of intracranial infection spread

structures in lateral wall

  • the oculomotor nerve CN3
  • the trochlear nerve CN4
  • the ophthalmic nerve CNV1
  • maxillary nerve CNV2

#innervations #anatomy-head-neck

cavernous sinus thrombosis
Orbit