The 'danger triangle of the face' consists of the area from the corners of the mouth to the bridge of the nose, including the nose and
maxilla. Due to the special nature of the
blood supply to the
human nose and surrounding area, it is possible (although very rare) for
retrograde infections from the nasal area to spread to the
brain.
This is possible because of venous communication (via the ophthalmic vein) between the
facial vein and the
cavernous sinus. The cavernous sinus lies within the cranial cavity, between layers of the
meninges and is a major conduit of venous drainage from the brain.
External links
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Cavernous sinus thrombosis