The Possibility of Internal Carotid-Cavernous Fistula after Maxillary Fracture

The authors first reported a 42-year-old female patient with carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) that occurred after maxillary fractures. She developed unilateral exophthalmos, bulbar conjunctival hyperemia, and complained of tinnitus after the operation, and was diagnosed as internal CCF through computerized tomography and Digital Substraction Angiography. After the diagnosis, the internal carotid artery was embolized with a coil under general anesthesia. The treatment effect was satisfactory but the vision of the affected side was eventually lost due to the long course of congestion. Although patients with maxillary fractures can safely undergo surgery, some unexpected complications may occur in trauma, such as internal CCF. Therefore, each patient must be subjected to accurate posttraumatic examinations and inquiries to discover possible clinical complications. Patients with exophthalmos, tinnitus, and conjunctival hyperemia may be accompanied by internal CCF. Once diagnosed, appropriate treatment such as embolization should be carried out in time to eliminate further serious sequelae.