Microsurgical anatomy of the arterial compartment of the cavernous sinus: analysis of 24 cavernous sinus.

The cavernous sinus is a complex compartment situated in both sides of the sella turcica, being its microsurgical anatomy knowledge of fundamental importance when consider to approach surgically. We studied the arterial microanatomy of 24 cavernous sinus at the microsurgical laboratory, considering that in all the internal carotid artery were filled with colored latex. The meningohypophyseal trunk was present in 18 cases (75%) with its origin in intracavernous portion of the internal carotid artery. In relation to the 18 presented cases with meningohypophyseal trunk, 14 (77.7%) had a trifurcate and 4 (23.3%) had a bifurcate pattern. The tentorial artery was present in all. Its origin was observed, arising from the meningohypophyseal trunk in 17 (70.8%) and as an isolated artery in some extension of the intracavernous portion in 7 (29.1%). An accessory tentorial artery was found in one specimen. The dorsal meningeal artery was present in 22 cases (91.6%). Its origin was in the meningohypophyseal trunk in 17 cases (77.2%), arising from internal carotid artery in 4 cases (18.1%) and from inferior hypophyseal artery in one case (4.1%).The inferior hypophyseal artery was present in all cases, having its origin at the meningohypophyseal trunk in 16 cases (66.6%). In the remaining 8 cases (33.3%) the artery was found arising alone from the intracavernous portion also. The artery of the inferior cavernous sinus or inferolateral trunk was present in all cases and had its origin from internal carotid artery in its intracavernous segment. The McConnell's artery was not found in any cavernous sinus.