title: Radiosurgery of carotid-cavernous fistulae.
abstract: 25 cases of carotid-cavernous fistulae (CCF) who underwent radiosurgery with a conventional gamma source from 1977 to 1992 are reported. 22 were low-flow, spontaneous CCFs and 3 were high flow fistulae which had undergone a previous trapping. The total dose delivered was 30 to 40 Gy. 91% to patients with low-flow CCF cured after radiosurgery in a mean time of 7.5 months, presenting improvement in a mean time of 2.3 months. Only one of the high-flow fistulae was cured. Follow-up period ranged between 14 years and 15 months (mean: 50 months). No recurrence was recorded in any case. While intravascular embolotherapy is the treatment of choice for high-flow fistulae, stereotactic radiosurgery may be the elective treatment for low-flow CCF.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barcia-Salorio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barcia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hernández
mesh_terms: D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000601:surgery*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016634:Radiosurgery; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques