Spontaneous resolution of intraorbital arteriovenous fistulas

Abstract

Spontaneous intraorbital arteriovenous fistulas are extremely rare. A 50-year-old man presented with progressive right blurred vision for 1 year and right proptosis for 2 months. He had no trauma history or family history of vascular disorders. Orbital MRI showed increased vascularity in the right orbital apex and bilateral dilated superior ophthalmic veins. Digital subtraction angiography of the carotid circulation demonstrated several small fistulas between the right ophthalmic artery and the right superior and inferior ophthalmic vein. He did not receive any intervention treatment for the intraorbital arteriovenous fistulas because of technical difficulty and high risk. His vision and symptoms gradually improved over a follow-up interval of 6 months. Patients with intraorbital arteriovenous fistulas without significant loss of visual function could be observed for spontaneous resolution.