Spontaneous resolution of symptoms in an infant with a congenital dural caroticocavernous fistula.

We report a 5-week-old boy with a congenital dural caroticocavernous fistula (CCF). He had gradually progressive proptosis, dilated conjunctival veins, chemosis, abducens nerve palsy and an objective bruit. Angiography of the right common carotid artery revealed fistulous communication in the cavernous sinus (CS) region. The CS was fed by the middle meningeal artery and drained through the superior ophthalmic vein and the superior petrosal vein. The child's symptoms and signs disappeared within a few weeks and did not recur over 11 months. At that time, however, angiography still showed a small communication between the right external carotid artery and the CS.