The surgical treatment of childhood moyamoya disease.

Moyamoya disease is a progressive disorder, predominantly seen in childhood, that can cause severe permanent disability. The search for effective treatment has largely been unsuccessful in the past, but recent efforts at surgical intervention have shown promising results. The natural history of moyamoya disease, the options for treatment, and a series of patients from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto are reviewed. The results of surgical treatment are encouraging and the authors believe that it should be offered to all pediatric patients in the progressive stage of the disease.