Traumatic carotid-cavernous sinus fistula with spontaneous resolution

• Published in: The American journal of emergency medicine Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 386 - 388
• Main Author: Ferrera, Peter C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Elsevier Inc 01.07.1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aged; Arteriovenous Fistula - diagnosis; Arteriovenous Fistula - etiology; Biological and medical sciences; Carotid Sinus - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Sinus - injuries; Carotid-cavernous sinus fistula; Cavernous Sinus - diagnostic imaging; Cavernous Sinus - injuries; Cerebral Angiography; Craniocerebral Trauma - complications; Female; Humans; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Magnetic Resonance Angiography; Medical sciences; Remission, Spontaneous; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; traumatic; Carotid-cavernous sinus fistula; traumatic; Human; Cavernous sinus; Nervous system diseases; Cure; Spontaneous; Cardiovascular disease; Fistula; Trauma; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Case study; Central nervous system disease; Carotid sinus; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 0735-6757; 1532-8171
• DOI: 10.1016/S0735-6757(97)90134-0

A 77-year-old woman presented with unilateral ocular pain, exophthalmos, vascular tinnitus, and chemosis several weeks after a minor closed head injury. Cerebral angiography showed a carotid-cavernous sinus fistula. One week later the patient's symptoms abruptly ceased. A brief discussion of the presentation and management of these fistulas is presented.