Carotid-cavernous fistula is a vascular disease in the skull that causes blood to pool in the eye, leading to tenderness, redness, swelling, and possible blindness. It can be caused by traumatic events or natural anatomical abnormalities and is often misdiagnosed. Early detection and treatment are crucial for successful reversal of damage to the arteries.
A carotid-cavernous fistula is a vascular disease in the cavernous sinus region of the skull. The difference in blood pressure between the arteries and veins behind the eye leads to a pooling of blood in a person’s eye. If caught early, the condition can easily be treated with an endoscopic procedure, but if left untreated, it can lead to blindness. The causes of the condition range from traumatic events to natural anatomical abnormalities in the physiology of some people.
Symptoms of the condition show up in and around the eye where the affected arteries and blood vessels connect. A patient suffering from the condition may experience tenderness and redness around the eye as well as redness and swelling of the eye. Gradual loss of vision in one eye, as well as a ringing within the skull could also indicate that a patient is suffering from a carotid-cavernous fistula
In the early stages, a carotid-cavernous fistula can often be misdiagnosed by doctors. Symptoms of the condition can be similar to thyroid eye disease or conjunctivitis. Performing an MRI or CT angiography on a patient can help detect the condition earlier, increasing the chances of a correct diagnosis and no long-term effects.
Treatment of a carotid-cavernous fistula is most successful when the condition is diagnosed and treated early. A patient’s eye could suffer irreversible damage if the condition is not treated early enough, possibly leading to blindness in the affected eye. Endoscopic treatments can help reverse damage to the arteries or change their physiology, correcting the condition before permanent eye tissue damage occurs.
The condition can develop after a patient experiences a sudden traumatic event. Violent incidents, such as a car accident or physical assault on the patient, could cause damage to the vascular system. Suffering from a sudden rupture of an arterial aneurysm can also damage the arteries and lead to the development of carotid-cavernous fistula. Neurosurgical or neuroradiological procedures could also cause damage to the arteries, causing a patient to develop the condition.
A patient may not experience a traumatic event and still develop a carotid-cavernous fistula. Some people are born with a configuration of the vascular system that leads to blood pooling in the eye. Other people might develop the condition later in life when extra passageways develop between the eye’s arteries and blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the eye.
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