Objective and importance: The endovascular treatment of carotid-cavernous dural fistulae is becoming the prominent treatment modality for these lesions. The intractability of these lesions and their tendency to recur, especially after previous endovascular treatment sessions, exhausts the available routes and tends to present a difficulty in accessing the cavernous sinus. To avoid the risks associated with a direct surgical approach, an alternative, less invasive route to the cavernous sinus using a pretemporal extradural approach is combined with a direct endovascular approach.
Clinical presentation: A 38-year-old woman presented with a history of right visual and ocular symptoms related to a Type D cavernous carotid dural fistula, which was fed by internal carotid and external carotid branches. The fistula was initially treated with embolization of the external carotid arterial supply. After a transient improvement, the patient's visual acuity worsened. A follow-up angiogram showed the major supply from the intracavernous internal carotid branches and draining through the inferior ophthalmic vein. The transvenous route was not accessible. An attempt to cannulate the intracavernous branches was not successful. The combined pretemporal and endovascular approach was then used.
Intervention: The pretemporal extradural region of the superior orbital fissure was exposed. Using microsurgical techniques and Doppler flow guidance, the anterior cavernous sinus was cannulated through the orbital venous drainage channels. Using intraoperative angiography, thrombogenic coils were deployed at the level of the fistula. Intraoperative angiography confirmed complete obliteration of the fistula.
Conclusion: The combined pretemporal (extradural) and endovascular approach to the cavernous sinus is a less invasive alternative for the treatment of intractable carotid-cavernous dural fistulae.