Abstract
Introduction: Although improvements in endovascular treatment have decreased the frequency of bypass surgery, cerebral vascular reconstructions are still important. Many critical points are required to achieve a reliable bypass patency. We describe our experience and techniques for bypass surgery, especially focusing on the superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass.
Materials and methods: Over a period of 5 years, STA-MCA bypass was performed for 42 patients with atherosclerotic internal carotid artery or middle cerebral artery occlusion, or hemodynamic ischemia; 35 patients with moyamoya disease; and 97 patients with complex cerebral aneurysms. Mean occlusion time, bypass patency, hyperperfusion, ischemic complication, and postoperative delayed wound healing were assessed.
Results: Within 42 ischemic cases, the mean occlusion time of the STA-MCA procedure was 20 minutes 16 seconds. No ischemic complications due to temporal occlusion occurred. Acute bypass occlusion (occlusion within 2 weeks after operation) occurred in 1 case of STA-MCA for moyamoya disease and 1 case of STA-MCA bypass for a patient with ischemic occlusion. Perioperative ischemic stroke was observed in 4 patients with ischemic occlusion and 1 patient with moyamoya disease.
Conclusion: To perform a safe and reliable vascular reconstruction, off-the-job training, a bloodless operative field, selection of an appropriate donor and recipient artery, use of the “fish mouth” method for trimming the donor artery, and an intima-to-intima everting suture are necessary.
