Endovascular Treatment Strategy for Direct Carotid-Cavernous Fistulas Resulting from Rupture of Intracavernous Carotid Aneurysms

Case 2.

A, Carotid angiogram shows a direct CCF; the distal portion of the ICA is not opacified because of the high-flow shunt.

B, Right vertebral angiogram depicts the aneurysmal sac by collateral flow upon cross compression.

C, Carotid angiogram obtained just after the procedure shows that a detachable balloon completely occludes the shunt.

D and E, Angiograms obtained 3 months later reveal recurrence of the aneurysm (D), which is packed with coils (E)

Case 3.

A and B, Left carotid angiograms show a high-flow CCF (A). Shunt flow is nearly obliterated by a detachable balloon, but the orifice is too large to permit complete obliteration. In addition, the space between the orifice and the wall of cavernous sinus is too small to safely position a sufficiently inflated balloon at the fistula (B); further inflation of the balloon can result in migration into the parent artery. Therefore, parent artery occlusion was performed after confirming cross flow with a test occlusion.

Case 4.

A and B, Left carotid angiograms show a high-flow CCF (A), which is obliterated by a detachable balloon (B).

C and D, Follow-up angiograms obtained 1 month later reveal recurrence of the aneurysmal sac (C), which was embolized with detachable coils (D).

Case 5.

A, Left carotid angiogram shows a direct CCF.

B and C, Oblique views show that the small aneurysm is opacified initially, and then shunt flow is seen.

D–F, Delivery of the detachable balloon fails because of a small orifice, and a microcatheter is advanced into the cavernous sinus (D). The sinus is packed with coils (E), producing nearly complete obliteration (F).