Jung Won Choi1, Sangjoon Chong2, Ji Hoon Phi3, Ji Yeoun Lee3, Hee-Soo Kim4, Jong Hee Chae5, Joongyub Lee6, Seung-Ki Kim7. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 2. Department of Neurosurgery, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 3. Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 4. Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 5. Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 6. Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Medical Research Collaborating Center, Biomedical Research Institution, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 7. Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: nsthomas@snu.ac.kr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Indirect bypass surgery is used to improve the hemodynamic status of pediatric patients with moyamoya disease (MMD). Symptomatic cerebral infarction during the early postoperative period may be the most frustrating complication. This study was conducted to investigate the factors associated with early postoperative symptomatic cerebral infarction. METHODS: Between January 2000 and February 2014, we performed 1241 indirect bypass surgeries in 659 pediatric MMD patients. Symptomatic infarction during the early postoperative period was diagnosed in 63 operations in 61 patients. RESULTS: The overall incidence of symptomatic cerebral infarction after indirect bypass surgery was 5.1%. The median age of the patients with postoperative infarction was 6 years (mean, 6.4 years; range, 1-15 years). The performance of 2 craniotomies in single operation was associated with a higher rate of cerebral infarction. Moreover, the incidence was higher in young patients (age <6 years) compared with older patients. In a matched analysis, an immediate postoperative hemoglobin level >13 g/dL was associated with decreased risk of infarction (odds ratio, 0.144; P = 0.003). Mutation of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene occurred in a relatively high proportion of our infarction cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative symptomatic infarctions can occur despite a unified surgical method and formulaic perioperative management protocol. Patient-centered factors, such as young age, genetic background of MTHFR, and certain medical conditions, including hyperthyroidism, renovascular hypertension, and hemolytic uremic syndrome, as well as management-related factors, including 2 craniotomies and low immediate postoperative hemoglobin level, could be risk factors for early postoperative symptomatic cerebral infarction.
BACKGROUND: Indirect bypass surgery is used to improve the hemodynamic status of pediatric patients with moyamoya disease (MMD). Symptomatic cerebral infarction during the early postoperative period may be the most frustrating complication. This study was conducted to investigate the factors associated with early postoperative symptomatic cerebral infarction. METHODS: Between January 2000 and February 2014, we performed 1241 indirect bypass surgeries in 659 pediatric MMD patients. Symptomatic infarction during the early postoperative period was diagnosed in 63 operations in 61 patients. RESULTS: The overall incidence of symptomatic cerebral infarction after indirect bypass surgery was 5.1%. The median age of the patients with postoperative infarction was 6 years (mean, 6.4 years; range, 1-15 years). The performance of 2 craniotomies in single operation was associated with a higher rate of cerebral infarction. Moreover, the incidence was higher in young patients (age <6 years) compared with older patients. In a matched analysis, an immediate postoperative hemoglobin level >13 g/dL was associated with decreased risk of infarction (odds ratio, 0.144; P = 0.003). Mutation of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene occurred in a relatively high proportion of our infarction cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative symptomatic infarctions can occur despite a unified surgical method and formulaic perioperative management protocol. Patient-centered factors, such as young age, genetic background of MTHFR, and certain medical conditions, including hyperthyroidism, renovascular hypertension, and hemolytic uremic syndrome, as well as management-related factors, including 2 craniotomies and low immediate postoperative hemoglobin level, could be risk factors for early postoperative symptomatic cerebral infarction.