Treatment of moyamoya disease with STA-MCA anastomosis

TLDR

Moyamoya disease is a chronic occlusive cerebrovascular disorder of unknown cause for which no effective treatment has been established. The study reports 23 STA‑MCA anastomoses and 7 encephalomyosynangioses performed on 13 typical and 4 atypical cases, involving 10 children and 7 adults. During 1.3–4.1 years of follow‑up, 9 patients achieved excellent outcomes, 5 good, 1 fair, and 2 unchanged, demonstrating that STA‑MCA anastomosis effectively treats transient ischemic attacks, reversible deficits, and mild to moderate neurological symptoms.

Abstract

✓ Moyamoya disease is a chronic occlusive cerebrovascular disease of unknown etiology for which no effective treatment has been found. The authors report the results of 23 superficial temporal-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomoses and seven encephalomyosynangioses, performed on 13 cases with moyamoya disease and on four additional atypical cases. There were 10 children and seven adults in this study. The follow-up period ranged from 1 year and 4 months to 4 years and 1 month postoperatively; nine patients had excellent results, five good, and one fair; two patients were unchanged. The anastomotic procedure was most effective for transient ischemic attacks, reversible ischemic neurological deficits, and even minor or moderate neurological symptoms. The STA-MCA anastomosis appears to be an effective treatment for moyamoya disease.