RESUMO
PURPOSE: To report a patient presenting with a symptomatic retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED) that resolved after successful treatment of a slow flow dural carotid cavernous fistula (CCF). Possible pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed. METHODS: Interventional case report. RESULTS: A 69-year-old female presented with left uniocular distortion, confirmed on fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography to be secondary to a non-vascularised serous RPED. Further examination revealed a long standing left VI nerve palsy, mild proptosis and conjunctival injection. Magnetic resonance and cranial angiography confirmed the presence of a dural CCF. Surgical closure of the CCF resulted in a rapid resolution of the clinical signs and improvement in visual symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with serous RPED and other signs or symptoms of a CCF may warrant neuroimaging of the orbit and/or angiography to evaluate for CCF, as correct diagnosis may lead to an excellent visual outcome.