Sudden eye and tinnitus – dural arteriovenous fistula

  Many patients with refractory proptosis, persistent conjunctival congestion, and pulsatile tinnitus or headache, who repeatedly visit the hospital, fail to receive effective treatment, and whose symptoms may continue to worsen during the consultation, are likely to suffer from dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) in the cavernous sinus region, a type of dural arteriovenous fistula. Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are a type of dural arteriovenous fistula.  Dural arteriovenous fistulas are abnormal communications between the dural sinuses such as the cavernous sinus, lateral sinus, and sagittal sinus and their adjacent arteries and veins, which communicate with the intracranial venous sinuses for extracranial blood supply, mostly in adults. As arterial blood flows directly into the venous sinus, the arterialization of blood in the venous sinus and the increase of pressure in the venous sinus cause the cerebral venous reflux to be impaired or even reversed, resulting in increased intracranial pressure, cerebral edema, cerebral metabolic disorders and cerebral hemorrhage.  Dural arteriovenous fistula is rare and can be seen at any age, mostly acquired, the cause of the disease is complex, but now research has found that it may be related to the following factors: venous sinusitis and dural sinus embolism, hormonal changes in the body, vascular muscle fiber dysplasia, etc. The most common is the dural arteriovenous fistula in the cavernous sinus area, clinical manifestations can be headache, dizziness, tinnitus, proptosis, epilepsy, cerebral hemorrhage, walking The most common type of dural arteriovenous fistula is the dural sinus region. The thickened and pulsating occipital and superficial temporal arteries are visible or palpable on the scalp, and the protruding eyeball may have conjunctival congestion and edema, and the skin may be filled with angry veins. Most patients present with ocular congestion, swelling, and protruding eyeballs, which often do not attract the patient’s attention or are considered to be an eye disease and are seen in the ophthalmology department, resulting in poor long-term outcomes and delays. The root of the disease lies in the brain, and failure to provide timely and proper treatment may lead to serious consequences such as cerebral hemorrhage.  For the early onset of the disease, the symptoms are mild and the blood flow in the fistula is small and slow, some simple vascular compression techniques can be used to promote the formation of cavernous sinus thrombosis and achieve a cure. However, this should be done under the guidance of a specialist. If the disease reaches a certain level, endovascular interventional embolization can be used to relieve or cure it.  We are one of the few specialized teams in China formed for the purpose of interventional treatment of cerebrovascular disease, and have achieved satisfactory results by using the most advanced minimally invasive interventional techniques to treat these lesions radically through arterial and venous access. By treating these lesions at an early stage, further cranial lesions are avoided and serious consequences such as hemorrhage are reduced.  Tip: Patients with persistent conjunctival congestion, proptosis, or headache and tinnitus should be seen by the relevant specialist to rule out intracranial pathology.