[Spontaneous healing of a cavernous carotid sinus fistula caused by a gun shot injury]

Abstract

We report about a 22-year-old male with a carotid cavernous fistula after gunshot injury. A few weeks later the fistula turned into an intracavernous aneurysm of the internal carotid artery. After four years the aneurysm was no longer demonstrable; the ipsilateral internal carotid artery was spontaneously obliterated. According to the literature a carotid cavernous fistula is found in 0.4% to 1.7% of all cases with head trauma. Its spontaneous cure is a rare occurrence.