Efficacy of extracranial–intracranial revascularization for non-moyamoya steno-occlusive cerebrovascular disease in a series of 66 patients

STA-MCA Double-Barrel Bypass: A Systematic Review of Technique and Single-Arm Meta-Analysis of Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Conventionally, one branch of the superficial temporal artery (STA) is utilized to revascularize the middle cerebral artery (MCA). However, there is the possibility of utilizing both branches of the STA when performing the bypass, characterizing the double-barrel (DB) STA-MCA bypass. Notably, a lack of studies evaluating this technique led the authors to conduct a systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched systematically for publications of DB-STA-MCA bypass on November 1st, 2023. The findings were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Case reports were not included for statistical analysis purposes.

RESULTS

The review included 408 patients and 534 bypasses from 34 studies. The main etiology was Moyamoya disease (64.6%), followed by cerebral ischemia (22.2%) and aneurysms (12.5%). The median of the mean follow-ups of each study was 12.8 months (range 1.5-87.9). The postoperative patency was 100%. The follow-up patency was 98% (95% CI: 96%-100%; I2 = 0%). The procedure-related mortality was 0% (95% CI: 0%-1%; I2 = 0%). Aneurysms obtained 87% (95% CI: 72%-100%; I2 = 4%) of good clinical outcomes, while Moyamoya disease yielded a rate of 70% (95% CI: 10%-100%; I2 = 97%). Ischemic complications occurred at a rate of 6% (95% CI: 2%-11%; I2 = 36%), while hemorrhagic occurred at 6% (95% CI: 1%-11%; I2 = 56%). Hyperperfusion syndrome rate was calculated as 18% (7%-30%; I2 = 55%) for Moyamoya disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The procedure appears to be safe, with excellent patency rates. The clinical efficacy for ischemic and Moyamoya diseases warrants further standardized robust investigation with a broader number of patients, and aneurysm studies are required to enhance sample sizes. The main complication for the Moyamoya subgroup is hyperperfusion syndrome.

Postoperative cerebral infarction after revascularization in patients with moyamoya disease: Incidence and risk factors

OBJECTIVES

Cerebral infarction is the major complication of revascularization surgery in patients with moyamoya disease (MMD), and we analyzed the possible causes of cerebral infarction after revascularization surgery for MMD.

METHODS

MMD patients who were admitted and underwent surgical revascularization at Shanghai Huashan Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 815 patients and 890 revascularization surgeries (677 first revascularization surgeries and 213 second revascularization surgeries) were included in this study; 453 (50.9%) were performed on the left side and 437 (49.1%) on the right side, with 779 (87.5%) combined procedures and 111 (12.5%) indirect bypasses included. The mean patient age at the time of these procedures was 44.6 ± 11.7 years (range 6-72 years). Postoperative cerebral infarctions were observed in 46 (5.17%) surgeries, among which 31 occurred after left hemisphere revascularization surgeries, with an incidence of 6.84%, and 15 occurred after right hemisphere revascularization surgeries, with an incidence of 3.43%. Of these, 30 (65.2%) occurred in the operated hemispheres, 2 (4.3%) in the contralateral hemisphere and 13 (28.3%) in the bilateral hemisphere. There were 11 cases of massive infarction (23.9%). The incidence of postoperative infarction in patients undergoing the first revascularization was 6% (41/677) and 2.3% (5/213) in the second revascularization surgeries. Initial presentation as infarction (P < 0.001), initial presentation as hemorrhage (P < 0.001), hypertension (P = 0.018), diabetes (P = 0.006), 1st or 2nd surgery and surgical side (P = 0.007) were found to be related to postoperative cerebral infarction. Initial presentation as infarction (OR = 2.934, 95% CI 1.453-5.928, P = 0.003), initial presentation as hemorrhage (OR = 0.149, 95% CI 0.035-0.641, P = 0.011), and 1st or 2nd surgery and surgical side (OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.106-2.491, P = 0.014) were independently associated with cerebral infarction after revascularization surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with MMD undergoing surgical revascularization, initial presentation as infarction and first revascularization surgery performed on the left hemisphere are independent risk factors for postoperative cerebral infarction, whereas initial presentation as hemorrhage is a protective factor.

Predictive factors for acute thrombogenesis occurring immediately after bypass procedure for moyamoya disease

Extracranial-to-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery is an effective treatment for patients with moyamoya disease and other conditions. Some patients with moyamoya disease have a risk of acute thrombogenesis at the anastomotic site just after bypass surgery. The purpose of this study was to study risk factors of acute thrombogenesis and determine effective countermeasures. This study included 48 patients (66 EC-IC bypass procedures) with moyamoya disease and 52 controls (54 procedures) without moyamoya disease. The development of acute thrombogenesis was compared between the moyamoya disease and control groups. In the moyamoya disease group, clinical and radiological characteristics were assessed with respect to acute thrombogenesis. In the patients with acute thrombogenesis, causes of technical problems were retrospectively examined. The incidence of acute thrombogenesis was significantly higher in the moyamoya disease group than those in the control group. In the moyamoya disease group, acute thrombogenesis was observed in seven patients. In the moyamoya disease group, the magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) scores were significantly higher in patients with acute thrombogenesis than those in the patients without acute thrombogenesis. In the multivariate analysis, the predictive factor of acute thrombogenesis in moyamoya disease was a high MRA score (odds ratio, 2.336; p = 0.009). During EC-IC bypass surgery for moyamoya disease, acute thrombogenesis should be considered to obtain a high patency rate, particularly in patients with high MRA scores. Acute thrombogenesis will not influence morbidity if proper countermeasures are followed; therefore, the prediction and recognition of white thrombus are important for a successful bypass surgery.

Treatment of aneurysms in patients with moyamoya disease: a 10-year single-center experience

OBJECTIVE

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is occasionally accompanied by intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to delineate the efficacy of the authors’ current surgical strategy in the management of MMD-associated aneurysms of different types.

METHODS

Between January 2007 and March 2016, a consecutive cohort of 34 patients with 36 MMD-associated aneurysms was enrolled in this prospective single-center cohort study. The lesions were classified as peripheral (17 aneurysms) or main trunk aneurysms (13 in the anterior circulation and 6 in the posterior circulation). For the peripheral aneurysms, revascularization with or without endovascular treatment was suggested. For the main trunk aneurysms, revascularization alone, revascularization with aneurysm clipping, or revascularization with aneurysm embolization were used, depending on the location of the aneurysms.

RESULTS

Of the peripheral aneurysms, 4 were treated endovascularly with staged revascularization, and 13 were treated solely with cerebral revascularization. Of the 13 main trunk aneurysms in the anterior circulation, 10 were clipped followed by revascularization, and 3 were coiled followed by staged cerebral revascularization. Of the 6 main trunk aneurysms in the posterior circulation, 4 underwent endovascular coiling and 2 were treated solely with revascularization. One patient died of contralateral intracerebral hemorrhage 6 months after the operation. No other patients suffered recurrent intracranial hemorrhage, cerebral ischemia, or aneurysm rupture. An angiographic follow-up study showed that all the bypass grafts were patent. Complete occlusion was achieved in all 21 aneurysms that were clipped or embolized. Of the remaining 15 aneurysms that were not directly treated, 12 of 13 peripheral aneurysms were obliterated during the follow-up, whereas 1 remained stable; 1 of 2 posterior main trunk aneurysms remained stable, and the other became smaller.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors’ current treatment strategy may benefit patients with MMD-associated aneurysms.

Signal reduction of donor artery on MRI after superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery anastomosis: a retrospective analysis

OBJECT

Microsurgical anastomosis from the superficial temporal artery (STA) to the middle cerebral artery (MCA) is a treatment option for appropriately selected patients with cranial atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease (CASD). However, the long-term efficacy and patency of the donor artery remain unclear. We reviewed the signal intensity of the donor artery on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) after STA-MCA anastomosis in patients with CASD and clarified the incidence of and risk factors for reduction in postoperative signal of STA.

METHODS

From April 2007 to March 2015, 155 STA-MCA anastomosis operations for CASD were performed at our institute. The postoperative imaging findings of 112 patients with available follow-up data for more than 3 months were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 24 months, the signal of the donor artery on MRA became weaker than that on MRA performed immediately after surgery in 30 (27%) patients. The rates of signal reduction at 1 and 2 years after surgery were 18 and 25%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that a high STA bifurcation (p = 0.015; odds ratio, 7.14) and the presence of chronic kidney disease (p = 0.011; odds ratio, 5.59) were independent risk factors for postoperative signal reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the signal intensity of the donor artery of an established STA-MCA bypass decreases in many cases. Both the loose entrance of the STA to the dura and systemic atherosclerosis are related to postoperative vessel remodeling.

Efficacy of superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery bypass in cerebrovascular steno-occlusive diseases: Hemodynamics assessed by perfusion computed tomography

OBJECTIVES

Our purpose of this study was to assess the cerebral hemodynamic improvement with perfusion computed tomography (CT), before and after superficial temporal artery (STA) to middle cerebral artery (MCA) bypass surgery in patients with cerebrovascular steno-occlusive diseases including both moyamoya disease and nonmoyamoya steno-occlusions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-four STA-MCA bypasses were performed to 22 patients with symptomatic cerebrovascular steno-occlusive diseases, including both moyamoya disease and nonmoyamoya steno-occlusive diseases. Brain perfusion CT images were obtained before and after the bypass surgery. The relative parameters such as cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), and mean transit time (MTT) derived from the perfusion CT were collected and analyzed to assess the efficacy of STA-MCA bypass.

RESULTS

The CBF increased, and MTT decreased after the bypass surgery in both moyamoya group and nonmoyamoya group. The increase of CBF in nonmoyamoya group and the decrease of MTT delay in moyamoya group, overall group were statistically significant (P < 0.05). No significant postoperative change in CBV was noted. During the postoperative follow-up period, none of the 22 patients experienced any repeated ischemic/hemorrhagic attacks nor any newly developed neurologic deficits.

CONCLUSION

The STA-MCA bypass is an effective surgical management for patients with cerebrovascular steno-occlusive diseases, such as moyamoya disease and internal carotid artery/MCA steno-occlusion. And perfusion CT can be used as an effective quantitative modality to assess the cerebral perfusion before and after the STA-MCA bypass surgery.

Indirect Revascularization for Non-Moyamoya Disease Anterior Circulation Arterial Steno-occlusion: Clinical Features, Surgical Treatment, and Medium-Term Outcomes in Adults

BACKGROUND

Symptomatic anterior arterial steno-occlusion is often associated with neurofunctional deficits or a high risk of recurrent stroke or both. Although both medical and endovascular treatments are useful and suitable, few studies have investigated the continued use of indirect encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) bypass in patients with non-moyamoya disease ischemia. We retrospectively investigated clinical features, surgical treatments, and medium-term outcomes of indirect revascularization for patients with non-moyamoya disease anterior circulation arterial steno-occlusion in China.

METHODS

EDAS without burr holes was performed in 51 adult patients with cerebral ischemic events and diagnosed nonmoyamoya anterior circulation arterial steno-occlusion. Preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up neurologic status was evaluated using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; changes on angiography and perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging were evaluated.

RESULTS

Unilateral EDAS was performed in 48 patients, and bilateral EDAS was performed in 3 patients. Four patients experienced complications before hospital discharge; only 23 patients underwent follow-up angiograms. Of the 51 patients, 44 (86.3%) exhibited improved muscle strength; 21 of 23 patients (91.3%) with follow-up angiography data exhibited evidence of new visible branches from the superficial temporal artery or middle meningeal artery or both. Preoperative and postoperative perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed for 5 patients. Despite clinical improvement in all patients, only 2 exhibited hemodynamic improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Indirect revascularization may be safe and effective for improving blood flow to the ischemic region following nonmoyamoya anterior circulation arterial steno-occlusion, especially in patients with residual postinfarction neurologic deficits. Our study demonstrates that improvements in ischemic symptoms after EDAS correspond to neovascularization from the superficial temporal artery or middle meningeal artery in ischemic brain areas.

Outcome in adult patients with hemorrhagic moyamoya disease after combined extracranial-intracranial bypass

Object

The outcome of patients with hemorrhagic moyamoya disease (MMD) after cerebral revascularization is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to delineate the efficacy of this surgical method in the treatment of hemorrhagic MMD.

Methods

Between January 2007 and August 2011, a consecutive cohort of 113 patients with hemorrhagic MMD was enrolled into this prospective single-center cohort study. The surgical method was combined direct and indirect bypass. The cumulative probability of the primary end point (all stroke and deaths from surgery through 30 days after surgery and ipsilateral recurrent hemorrhage afterward) was analyzed. The angiographic outcome was measured by the following parameters: bypass patency, reduction of basal MMD vessels, improved degree of dilation, and branch extension of the anterior choroidal and posterior communicating arteries (AChA-PCoA).

Results

Of the 113 enrolled cases, CT scans revealed pure intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in 63 cases (55.7%), pure intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in 14 cases (12.4%), and ICH with IVH in 36 cases (31.9%). In 74 of 113 hemorrhagic hemispheres (65.5%), the AChA-PCoA was extremely dilated with extensive branches beyond the choroidal fissure. A total of 114 surgeries were performed. No patient suffered ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke through 30 days after surgery. Ipsilateral rebleeding occurred in 5 patients, 4 of whom died of the rebleeding event. The cumulative probability of the primary end point was 0% at 1 year and 1.9% at 2 years. The annual rebleeding rate was 1.87%/person/year. The improvement in AChA-PCoA extension was observed in 75 of 107 operated hemispheres (70.1%), which was higher than that in 7 of 105 unoperated hemispheres (35.2%).

Conclusions

Revascularization may provide a benefit over conservative therapy for hemorrhagic MMD patients. The improvement of dilation and branch extension of AChA-PCoA might be correlated with the low rebleeding rate.

Changes in computed tomography perfusion parameters after superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass: an analysis of 29 cases

Introduction Analysis of computed tomography perfusion (CTP) studies before and after superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass is warranted to better understand cerebral steno-occlusive pathology. Methods Retrospective review was performed of STA-MCA bypass patients with steno-occlusive disease with CTP before and after surgery. CTP parameters were evaluated for change after STA-MCA bypass. Results A total of 29 hemispheres were bypassed in 23 patients. After STA-MCA bypass, mean transit time (MTT) and time to peak (TTP) improved. When analyzed as a ratio to the contralateral hemisphere, MTT, TTP, and cerebral blood flow (CBF) improved. There was no effect of gender, double vessel versus single vessel bypass, or time until postoperative CTP study to changes in CTP parameters after bypass. Conclusions Blood flow augmentation after STA-MCA bypass may best be assessed by CTP using baseline MTT or TTP and ratios of MTT, TTP, or CBF to the contralateral hemisphere. The failure of cerebrovascular reserve to improve after cerebral bypass may indicate irreversible loss of autoregulation with chronic cerebral vasodilation or the inability of CTP to detect these improvements.

Haemodynamic analysis of vessel remodelling in STA-MCA bypass for Moyamoya disease and its impact on bypass patency

The purpose of this study is to estimate the remodelling characteristics of STA-MCA bypass and its influence on patency via the use of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) technology. The reconstructed three-dimensional geometries from MRA were segmented to create computational domains for CFD simulations. Eleven patients, who underwent regular MRA both immediately following surgery and at the six months follow-up, were studied. The flow velocities at STA were measured via the use of quantitative MRA (QMRA) to validate simulation results. STA-MCA bypass patency was confirmed for each patient immediately following surgery. The simulation indicated that the remodelling of the arterial pedicle in nine patients was associated with a reduction in the resistance to flow through the bypass. For these cases, the modelling of a driving pressure of 10mmHg through the bypass at 6 months post-surgery resulted in a 50% greater blood flow than those found immediately following surgery. However, two patients were found to exhibit contradictory patterns of remodelling, in which a highly curved bending at the bypass immediately post-surgery underwent progression, with increased resistance to flow through the bypass at 6 months follow-up, thereby resulting in a modelled flow rate reduction of 50% and 25%, respectively. This study revealed that STA-MCA bypass has a characteristic remodelling that usually reduces flow resistance. The initial morphology of the bypass may have had a significant effect on the outcome of vessel remodelling.

Predictive ability of C-reactive protein for early mortality after ischemic stroke: comparison with NIHSS score

We aimed to compare the association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score with mortality risk and to determine the optimal threshold of CRP for prediction of mortality in ischemic-stroke patients. A series of 162 patients with first-ever ischemic-stroke admitted within 24 h after onset of symptoms was enrolled. CRP and NIHSS score were estimated on admission and their predictive abilities for mortality at 7 days were determined by logistic-regression analyses. Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were depicted to identify the optimal cut-off of CRP, using the maximum Youden-index and the shortest-distance methods. Deceased patients had higher levels of CRP and NIHSS on admission (8.87 ± 7.11 vs. 2.20 ± 4.71 mg/l for CRP, and 17.31 ± 6.36 vs. 8.70 ± 4.85 U for NIHSS, respectively, P < 0.01). CRP and NIHSS were correlated with each other (r (2) = 0.39, P < 0.001) and were also independently associated with increased risk of mortality [odds ratios (95 % confidence interval) of 1.16 (1.05-1.28) and 1.20 (1.07-1.35) for CRP and NIHSS, respectively, P < 0.01]. The areas under the ROC curves of CRP and NIHSS for mortality were 0.82 and 0.84, respectively. The CRP value of 2.2 mg/l was identified as the optimal cut-off value for prediction of mortality within 7 days (sensitivity: 0.81, specificity: 0.80). Thus, CRP as an independent predictor of mortality following ischemic-stroke is comparable with NIHSS and the value of 2.2 mg/l yields the optimum sensitivity and specificity for mortality prediction.