Correlation of Clinical Presentations and Imaging Findings with Flow Dynamics in Carotid-Cavernous Fistula Patients at Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung

Abstract

Background: Carotid cavernous fistulas (CCFs) have variable clinical presentation, imaging, and angiographic findings. The study aims to investigate the association of clinical presentations and radiological findings with flow dynamics from digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of CCFs patients.

Methods: CCF patients who underwent DSA at Dr. Hasan Sadikin general hospital from January 2017 – December 2019 were included in this study. Patient’s characteristics, clinical presentations, and imaging results were retrieved from the patient’s medical record and radiology database. Fractures, proptosis, extraocular muscle thickening, superior ophthalmic vein dilatation, cavernous hyperdense lesion, and infarct are expected to be identified from imaging results. DSA identified types of flow dynamic based on Barrow classification and venous drainage patterns. Numeric data were analyzed by using Mann Whitney test, while categorical data were analyzed with Fisher’s exact test.

Results: Twenty-eight patients were included in the study, with patients’ mean age was 30.5-year-old (range: 14- to 61-year-old), consisting of 19 males (67.9%) and 9 females (32.1%). In approximately 75% of the cases, the cause of CCF was a history of trauma. Patients with high flow CCFs were associated with the findings of cavernous sinus hyperdense and proptosis than patients with low flow. Patients who are presented with more than 1-year-long duration of symptoms were more likely to have more than 1 draining vein, compared to patients who are presented with < 1-year-long duration of symptoms.

Conclusions: History of trauma, longer duration of symptoms, and the presence of a hyperdense cavernous lesion on head CT scan results require further angiographic study prior to endovascular intervention.