Neuroanatomy of the Cavernous and Sphenoid Sinus

The cavernous sinus was described by Ridley (1695), but Winslow In 1732 noted fibrous trabeculae and likened the structure's interior to the corpus cavernous of the penis; he used the term cavernous which has persisted. The sinus is classically described as a densely trabeculated venous channel. Browder (1976) and Parkinson (1972) proposed that the sinus was a plexus of variously sized veins that divided and coalesced to surround the internal carotid artery. However, Bedford (1966), Photon (1976), Umansky (1982) described the cavernous sinus as an unbroken, trabeculated venous channel. The controversy persists (see Taptas, 1982).