Postoperative Transient Neurologic Dysfunction: A Proposal for Pathophysiology

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Sudden neurological deterioration which cannot be explained by structural change, ischemia or seizure is often observed among neurosurgical patients. We aimed to provide new insight into the pathophysiology of postoperative transient neurologic dysfunction. METHODS: We describe prolonged but fully reversible focal neurologic dysfunction of unknown origin based on the initial evaluation in 8 patients who had received encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis for moyamoya disease. We performed brain imaging, including diffusion weighted imaging and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging or single photon emission computed tomography, and electroencephalography (EEG) during the episodes and after resolution of the symptoms. RESULTS: The symptoms consisted of dysarthria, hemiparesis, or hemiparesthesia of limbs contralateral to the operated side. These symptoms developed between 12 hours and 8 days after surgery and lasted between 12 hours and 17 days. Structural imaging did not show any significant interval change compared with the immediate postoperative images. Perfusion imaging showed increased cerebral blood flow in the symptomatic hemisphere. EEG revealed low amplitude arrhythmic slowing in the corresponding hemisphere. Follow-up imaging and EEG after recovery did not show any abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Transient neurologic dysfunction can occur during the postoperative period of brain surgery. Although this may last more than usual transient ischemic attack or seizure, it eventually resolves regardless of treatment. Based on our observation, we propose that this is the manifestation of the transient cortical depression triggered by mechanical stimulation, analogous to migraine aura associated with cortical spreading depression.

Clinical features and surgical efficacy of moyamoya syndrome in children / 中国脑血管病杂志

Objective Toinvestigatetheclinicalfeaturesandsurgicalprognosisofmoyamoya syndromeinchildren.Methods Theclinicaldataof12childrenwithmoyamoyasyndromeadmittedto the 307th Hospital of People′s Liberation Army from December 2002 to October 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Eleven of them underwent encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis (EDAS). A total of 550 children with moyamoya disease in the same period were used as a control group. The clinical characteristics and surgical efficacy of the children with moyamoya syndrome were summarized and concluded by comparing the clinical data of the two groups,including sex,age of onset,initial symptom,progress symptoms, Suzukiinstallments,imagingfeatures,andsurgicalefficacy.Results Themaleandfemaleratioof the children with moyamoya syndrome was 1∶2. Their mean age of onset was 12 ± 5 years old. There were significant differences in the initial symptom (cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage )and disease progress between the children with moyamoya syndrome group and the control group (5/12 vs. 14. 5%[80/550], 3/12 vs. 61. 8%[340/550],and 5/12 vs. 8.7%[48/550],respectively;all P<0. 05). Within the follow-up period,of the 11 children underwent EDAS,7 cases had no further attack,and 4 cases were improved significantly. There was significant difference in the modified Rankin scale (mRS)between the beforeandaftersurgery(0[0,1]vs.2[1,2];P<0.05).Conclusions Theclinicalfeaturesofthe children with moyamoya syndrome have some differences with those with moyamoya disease. Timely and effective EDAS treatment may effectively prevent disease progression and improve the prognosis of patients.

The Role of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Moyamoya Disease

OBJECTIVES AND OMPORTANCE: The present study investigated the levels of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) in the CSF of patients with moyamoya disease and its clinical significance. METHODS: The levels of bFGF in CSF, taken from 26 hemispheres of 14 moyamoya patients and 20 patients without vascular anomaly(control group), were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We analyzed the correlation between the level of bFGF and the clinical factors such as age, onset pattern, development of neovascularization, and cerebral circulation. RESULTS: The CSF of moyamoya patients contained a high concentration of bFGF to a significant extent. The bFGF level was apparently elevated in the patients in whom neovascularization from indirect revascularization, such as modified encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis(EDAS) was well developed. A linear correlation between the values of bFGF and clinical progression was noted. CONCLUSIONS: The elevation of bFGF in moyamoya disease seems to be specific. Clinically, the bFGF level may be considered a useful indicator to predict the efficacy of indirect revascularization.

Two Operative Cases of Moya Moya Disease in Children

The treatment of moya moya disease, a chronic occlusive cerebrovascular disease of unknown etiology, isn't settled ut various operative methods to maximize cerebral revascularization have been reported. Two cases in children treated surgically are presented, one with cerebroarteriosynangiosis and the other with encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis(EDAS). The methods of cerebral revascularization are discussed in detail.

Treatment of Cerebral Rete Mirabile in Children by Encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis: Report of Two Operative Cases

Cerebral rete mirabile is a unusual form of chronic cerebrovascular occlusive disease characterized usually by bilateral stenosis of distal internal carotid arteries and their vicinity, by a hazy network of collateral circulation at the base of brain called moyamoya vessels and clinically by recurring hemispheric ischemic attack in children. We have reported here 2 cases of cerebral rete mirabile in children and performed newly developed operative procedure which we think is an ideal surgical method for treatment of this disease in children and is compared with other surgical treatment.