Cavernous sinus surgery. Approach through the lateral wall.

The cavernous sinus is divided from the surgical point of view into three parts. The middle part consists of the lateral sinus wall, the cranial nerves III, IV, V, VI and the posterior siphonknee of the internal carotid artery. Lesions of this region, vascular as well as tumorous, can be exposed by approaching the lateral sinus wall. The surgical dissection through the sinus wall is based on some important anatomical details, which are described here. As a consequence a modified transcavernous approach will be introduced and demonstrated by 35 clinical cases.