Intracranial stent placement for the treatment of a carotid—cavernous fistula associated with intracranial angioplasty

Abstract

✓ The authors report a case of an iatrogenic carotid—cavernous fistula (CCF) associated with intracranial angioplasty. Angioplasty was performed using a 3 × 10-mm Open Sail coronary balloon in a patient with high-grade stenosis of the left cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA). After angioplasty, a perforation developed in the cavernous ICA, resulting in a CCF. A 3.5 × 9—mm S670 coronary stent was used to treat the fistula. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case in which a CCF developed after angioplasty was performed using a coronary balloon. Long-term angiographic and clinical evaluation is needed to test the suitability and durability of intracranial angioplasty and stent placement in the treatment of symptomatic intracranial stenosis.