The cavernous sinus: topographic morphometry of its contents.

The microsurgical anatomy of the cavernous sinus of 54 Turkish adult cadaveric heads (108 specimens) was examined to provide data for major topographic aspects and morphometry of the region, which is of special clinical importance for neurosurgeons. Significant findings were: 1) the abducent nerve in the cavernous sinus was observed as one rootlet in most of the specimens (78%), two rootlets in 14%, three in 5% and four in 3% of the specimens; 2) the anterior inferior venous space was dominant in 58%, the posterior superior venous space in 16%, and an intermediate type in 29% of the specimens; 3) the artery of the inferior cavernous sinus originated from the internal carotid artery (ICA) in 74% of the cases, and 4) the dorsal meningeal artery originated from the ICA in 6 (5.5%) of the specimens.