Answer to Not Your Mother’s Pimple!
Correct answer is B. The cavernous sinus is located just lateral tot the sella turcica. The initial description of the case leads you to think that this is a clear case of an infection from the face’s danger zone leading to infection of the cavernous sinus via the connection of the ophthalmic vein. However, in spite of the mother not believing her daughter, the daughter did listen to her mother, but developed independently a meningioma in her cavernous sinus that is affecting her trochlear nerve. Tripping while walking downstairs is due to the diplopia associated with trochlear nerve damage. Additionally, cranial nerves V and VI could have been impacted by the tumor.
.
Answer to this question is based on material presented in lectures 7 of the Head and Neck Dissection Review Series.
= Pituitary bed
= Cavernous sinus
= Confluens of sinuses
= Jugular foramen
= Location of foramen spinosum