Magnified endoscopic view of right superolateral pontine surface. Petrosal and clival bone have been removed to expose the superolateral pons at the emergence of the trigeminal nerve. The abducens nerve is shown at the right border of the image ascending from the lower ventral pons through a remnant of clival dura. The trigeminal nerve courses toward the petrous apex. The superior petrosal vein is an important vein draining the anterior cerebellum and brainstem. It forms from the union of several veins, which include those shown here, namely, the transverse pontine vein and vein of the middle cerebellar peduncle. (Image courtesy of AL Rhoton, Jr.)