Cavernous angioma in cavernous sinus: case report of a rare location

A case of cavernous angioma situated in the left cavernous sinus is presented. Occasional difficulties in accessing correct preoperative diagnosis with computerized tomography and angiography were encountered. Intraoperative relationships of neural and vascular structures of the cavernous sinus and tumor mass are described. An "en mass" extirpation was achieved without further neurological damage. A possible origin of cavernous angioma from the 6th cranial nerve is discussed.