Carotid cavernous fistula after surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion with a bone anchored appliance

Surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) is an effective and stable method for treating severe maxillary transverse discrepancies in skeletally mature individuals, but it has potential complications. The authors report the case of a 34-year-old woman who developed carotid cavernous fistula after undergoing SARME with a bone anchored appliance and discuss the possible etiological basis of this condition.