Cerebrovascular occlusive disease in children: a survey.

Eight cases of stroke in children treated with surgery are reported. Four of the patients had Moya-moya disease and presented with TIA. They were treated by surgically creating collaterals through the STA-MCA bypass, encephalomyosyangiosis and encephalomyoarteriosynangiosis operations. Three patients with traumatic or idiopathic carotid artery stenosis or occlusion presented with TIA and were treated with STA-MCA bypass. One patient with idiopathic carotid artery stenosis presented with a complaint of a continuous swishing noise in the ear and had a STA-MCA bypass followed by carotid artery ligation. Although stroke in children is usually secondary to systemic disease, there is a group of children with surgically treatable disease who need to be identified and treated. The potential benefit of surgery may depend on the promptness with which a definitive diagnosis is reached.