[Treatment of carotid-cavernous fistula with the Serbinenko balloon catheter]

After a critical survey of the methods of treating carotid-cavernosus fistulae employed until now and some special techniques, the endovasal method using the flow-in catheter with droppable microinflator after Serbinenko is described. In this technique, a latex inflator is filled intracavitarily with cold-vulcanized silicon rubber by the transcutaneous-transcarotidal route and left in situ for a selective closure of the fistula. 3 cases treated by the author with late results show the advantages of the method by which the carotid can be reconstructed.