Burr Hole-Assisted Direct Transsylvian Venous Catheterization for Carotid-Cavernous Fistula Embolization: A Case Report

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCF) are pathological connections between carotid artery branches and the cavernous sinus. They can lead to a variety of symptoms, such as chemosis and double vision, or more insidious events, such as vision loss and intracranial hemorrhage. Although these patients are often treated by endovascular means, we describe a case in which the patient's CCF was not able to be accessed by usual methods and required an open surgical approach. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: The patient had progressive chemosis, double vision, and periorbital pain. Angiogram showed an indirect type D CCF with cortical venous drainage with a large sylvian vein that was directly draining the fistula. The patient did not have a dilated superior ophthalmic vein, and the petrosal sinuses could not be catheterized. Therefore, because of the patient's increased risk for intracranial hemorrhage, she was taken to the operating room for an image guided burr hole for direct catheterization of the sylvian vein. From this point, the fistulous point could be catheterized, and the CCF was embolized using onyx. Follow-up angiogram showed complete occlusion. CONCLUSION: This is the first report in literature of an indirect CCF being treated through a transsylvian approach with onyx. This combined open-surgical-and-endovascular approach was necessary to get full resolution of the lesion, and patient had rapid improvement of symptoms.