Originally Posted by mrsD

Also, many of the cranial nerves go thru the cavernous sinuses
in the skull...these also carry blood vessels. This can get very complex, and I don't know all the details, about it.

But infections can penetrate to these cavities (they are not the same as the sinuses we are more familiar with). The infections can arise on the face where certain areas drain in that direction.
(often called the "triangle of death")

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_nerves

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavernous_sinus


There was a very serious Mystery Diagnosis involving this special sinus area... involving the eye.