Microsurgical vascular bypass for occlusive cerebrovascular disease; review of 100 cases.

This is a report on a series of 100 consecutive patients who had undergone microvascular arterial bypass surgery as an aid in the treatment of occlusive ischemic cerebrovascular disease. The results to date are encouraging in cases of transient ischemic attacks (TIA) with significant hemodynamic vascular lesions previously considered inaccessible or inoperable by conventional vascular surgical techniques. The permanent morbidity rate is low. The operative mortality rate is acceptable. Postoperative patency rates of the surgical bypass remain high. In analyzing the cases presenting with TIA, the total incidence postoperatively to stroke is 6% in the series to date. The average postoperative follow-up is 20 months.