Spontaneous carotid-cavernous fistulas. Clinical symptomatology.

The symptomatology in six cases with spontaneous carotid-cavernous fistulas is discussed. All six patients presented with exophthalmos, dilated veins, pain and restriction of ocular movements. In four patients a bruit was found objectively as well as subjectively, four patients exhibited an increase of the intraocular pressure and in three cases vision was impaired. Of special interest is the finding that discrete symptoms such as venous congestion and slight pain appeared early in the course of the disease in all patients, and that in some of the patients an increase in intraocular pressure as well as disturbances in ocular motility were diagnosed long before the appearance of the exophthalmos.