Internal Occlusion of a Carotid-Cavernous Fistula

Abstract

The failure of l igat ion of the carot id and ophtha lmic arteries to ar res t the progress of a carot idcavernous fistula led Brooks 1 to in t roduce a muscle e m b o l u s into the in te rna l carot id a r t e ry in the neck in an effort to plug the fistula f rom within. This ingenious m e t h o d is no t always applicable because the muscle m a y no t embol ize to the fistula af ter in t rac ran ia l l igat ion of the carot id and oph tha lmic arteries, and i t is probably unsafe before the in t rac ran ia l operat ion. Another me thod of in terna l occlusion was used in the following case.