Treatment of 20 direct carotid-cavernous fistulas.

This review describes the results obtained in the treatment of direct carotid-cavernous fistulas in 20 patients. The fistulas were occluded by intraarterial detachable balloons as described by Serbinenko and later modified by Debrun. The advantage of this method over most others is that it closes the fistula but leaves carotid patency intact. We succeeded in this respect in 15 of our patients. With the exception of an abducens paresis in 1 patient, no irreversible neurological or other complications were caused by the procedure.