Anatomic characteristics of the dural sheath of the trigeminal nerve.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the anatomic characteristics and discuss the clinical implications of the dural sheath of the trigeminal nerve, especially its compartmentalization. The dural sheath of the trigeminal nerve was microsurgically dissected in 8 formalin-fixed adult cadaver heads (16 sides). The dural sheath of the trigeminal nerve is meningeal dura in origin and composed of Meckel's cave and the peripheral sheaths. The peripheral sheath is a direct continuation of Meckel's cave, but separated from the latter by a cribriform area from where the nerve rootlets pass through. Within the peripheral sheaths, there are a few septa, which are frequently interrupted by connections among nerve rootlets. The cribriform area of Meckel's cave, which divides the dural sheath of the trigeminal nerve into 2 distinct compartments, may play an important role in tumor growth and surgical planning. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E185-E188, 2016.