Transnasal Endoscopic Resection of a Cavernous Sinus Hemangioma: Technical Note and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Objective/Importance: Hemangiomas of the cavernous sinus are rare lesions. Complete removal through a transcranial route often causes ocular motor palsies. Because the cranial nerves in the cavernous sinus are lateral to the carotid, a medial approach to the cavernous sinus may be less traumatic to the cranial nerves. A 50-year-old man with headaches, dizziness, diplopia, and magnetic resonance imaging that demonstrated a right cavernous sinus mass expanding into the sella and sphenoid sinus. A gross total removal of a cavernous sinus hemangioma was performed through an extended endoscopic transsphenoidal approach. This is the first report of a complete removal of a cavernous sinus hemangioma using an endoscopic transnasal approach. The endoscopic transnasal approach to the medial cavernous sinus may be less traumatic than the transcranial route based on the lateral location of the cranial nerves.