Vasoreconstructive surgery for radiation-induced vasculopathy in childhood

BACKGROUND Cerebral vasculopathy associated with the appearance of netlike vessels can develop following irradiation therapy for parasellar brain tumors, especially in children, However, little is known regarding the clinical course of this disease or the appropriate therapy for it. CASE REPORTS We experienced two surgically-treated patients with radiation-induced vasculopathy and reviewed the previously reported cases. Both of our patients were treated with encephalo-duro-arterio-myo-synangiosis combined with superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass. Their ischemic symptoms improved following the surgery, associated with a good angiographic neovascularization from the STA-MCA bypass, as well as dural and muscular arteries, CONCLUSION Our findings and the review of the previous reports suggested that surgical therapy may be beneficial for the patients with radiation-induced vasculopathy with the appearance of netlike vessels. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.