Abstract
The anatomy of the cavernous sinus (CS) as an enclosed venous space with trabeculations surrounding the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA) is described. This includes the anatomy of its dural boundaries and formation together with its relationships to surrounding structures. Details of its venous tributaries and connections and the associated cranial nerves are described. The anatomy of the ICA at the skull base is detailed in a useful anatomical orientation relevant to surgical procedures, and a correlation between intracranial and endonasal skull base anatomy is provided. The relevance of the surgical anatomy of the CS and ICA to the operative management of orbital lesions is discussed.
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References
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Acknowledgement
This chapter is predominantly based on the late Dr. Albert Rhoton publications on neurosurgical anatomy. The anatomical images are Dr. Rhoton’s dissections [Courtesy of the Rhoton Collection, American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Neurosurgical Research and Education Foundation (NREF)].
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© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
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Kirollos, R.W. (2023). Cavernous Sinus and Internal Carotid Artery. In: POON, T.L., MAK, C., YUEN, H.K.L. (eds) Orbital Apex and Periorbital Skull Base Diseases. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-2989-4_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-2989-4_4
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