Balloon embolization of a traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula leads to recovery from amaurosis

Abstract

The right eye of a 25-year-old man was found to be blind after unconsciousness of four days following a blunt head trauma. A direct lesion of the right optic nerve was taken as the cause of blindness and a specific therapy was regarded as impossible. One month later the left eye began to lose vision. Carotid angiography revealed a large carotid-cavernous fistula. After balloon embolization of the fistula vision was partly restored to the right eye and almost completely restored to the left eye.

Key Words:

• Carotid-cavernous fistula
• blindness
• balloon embolization