Left durai to right cavernous sinus fistula; a case report

Direct carotid-cavernous sinus fistulas that present with signs and symptoms contralateral to the arterial supply of the fistulas are not uncommon. We present a thoroughly documented case of a dural-cavernous sinus fistula with symptoms exclusively contralateral to the arterial source, a rarer entity. The patient presented with a red, proptotic right eye and a history of transient horizontal diplopia and a “feeling of fullness” in that eye. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and orbits performed at another hospital had shown no abnormalities. Carotid angiography performed on the right side was normal; carotid angiography performed on the left side showed a dural-cavernous sinus fistula, with shunting from branches of the left external carotid artery directly to the right cavernous sinus. Orbital duplex color-flow sonography showed reverse flow in a dilated right superior ophthalmic vein. This unusual manifestation of a dural-cavernous sinus fistula offers insight into the pathophysiology of arteriovenous fistulas involving the cavernous sinus, and is a reminder that bilateral injections are required when performing carotid angiography to characterize these disorders.