Cavernous Sinus Disorders

The cavernous sinus comprises multiple trabeculated venous channels that contain portions of the ocular motor cranial nerves (cranial nerves three, four, and six), the first and second divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the internal carotid artery, and the ocular sympathetic nerves. Symptoms of cavernous sinus lesions include any limitation of ocular movement, facial pain or numbness, partial or complete ptosis, dilated pupil, or Horner's syndrome. A variety of pathological entities are known to affect the cavernous sinus including inflammatory, neoplastic, and vascular diseases. The article that follows is a brief introduction to the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of cavernous sinus disorders.