title: Vertebral-venous fistula: an unusual cause for ocular symptoms mimicking a carotid cavernous fistula.
abstract: Vertebral-venous fistulas (VVF), or vertebral-vertebral arteriovenous fistulas, are an uncommon clinical entity. Typically, they present as a result of a direct vascular connection between an extracranial branch of the vertebral artery or its radicular components and the epidural venous plexus. These may manifest with signs and symptoms referable to cervical myelopathy secondary to compression or steal phenomenon. To our knowledge, this is the first case to identify a patient who presented with classic ocular symptoms attributable to a carotid cavernous fistula but secondary to a VVF. We present its treatment and clinical outcome. In addition, we present a brief literature review surrounding this uncommon disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0156-4671
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Felbaum
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Swathi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chidambaram
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Robert Bryan
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Rocco A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Armonda
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Ai Hsi
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D020216:Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000473:pathology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005123:Eye / Q000473:pathology*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D014680:Veins / Q000473:pathology*; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Angiography; Artery; Coil; Fistula