A Case of Carotid Cavernous Fistula Presenting with "Delayed Red-Eyed Shunts"

ABSTRACT

Presenting symptoms of carotid cavernous fistulas (CCF) may vary according to the draining vessels. Prominent external orbito-ocular signs such as red eye, proptosis, ocular bruit occur, when the shunt drains anteriorly ("red-eyed shunts"), whereas an isolated ocular motor nerve palsy and headache can be the only presenting symptoms when it drains posteriorly ("white-eyed shunts"). Turning the eyes red from white eyed-shunt weeks to months ("delayed red-eyed shunts") suggest the direction of fistula drainage shifted anteriorly; it has rarely been reported. We report a patient with delayed red-eyed shunts whose red eye resolved after chemical embolization of draining vessels.