ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Moya Moya disease (MMD) is one of the most common cerebro-vascular diseases in children resulting in stroke. Surgical revascularization aims at improving the perfusion to the 'at-risk' ischemic brain. Several factors including peri-operative anesthetic related ones, affect the outcome in these children. This study was performed with the aim to explore the role of anesthetic techniques, pharmacological agents and perioperative management strategies on the neurological outcome following an indirect revascularization procedure for the treatment of MMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of pediatric indirect revascularization procedures for MMD during a three year period at a tertiary neurosciences hospital in southern India. Demographic details, disease characteristics and variables related to anesthetic management were obtained from the patient's charts and analyzed. The main outcome measure was occurrence of postoperative new neurological complications; and, the secondary outcome was length of hospital stay after surgery. RESULTS: Twenty-two children underwent thirty indirect revascularization procedures, of which four patients had new postoperative neurological complications. One child died due to bilateral cerebral infarcts following bilateral surgery as a single stage under the same anesthesia. Female gender and a higher opioid dose were associated with occurrence of postoperative neurological deficits. Younger age, prolonged anesthetic duration and occurrence of postoperative neurological deficits were associated with prolonged postoperative hospital stay. However, none of these factors were predictive of either an adverse neurological outcome or a prolonged hospital stay. CONCLUSION: In this study, anesthetic techniques or medications did not influence the occurrence of postoperative neurological deficits or prolonged hospital stay after an indirect revascularization procedure in children with MMD.
