Post-trauma exophthalmos caused by a carotid-cavernous fistula.

Fistulae may be defined as direct connections between arteries and veins. Carotid-cavernous fistulae (CCF) are formed secondarily to abnormal communications between the cavernous portion of the carotid artery and the venous plexus of the cavernous sinus. Traumatic fistulae usually result from injuries to the internal carotid artery in its course to the cavernous sinus. These types of fistula frequently appear a few weeks after trauma with signs and symptoms related to increased venous pressure transmitted through the ophthalmic vein, a valve-free vessel. This paper presents the means to diagnose carotid-cavernous fistulae and a case report.