PURPOSE

Periventricular anastomosis (PA) is a potential cause of intracranial hemorrhage in moyamoya disease. While bypass surgery can reduce PA, an effective target vessel to prevent hemorrhagic stroke remains unidentified. We investigated postoperative PA regression at different anastomosis sites.

METHODS

Overall, 126 hemispheres of 100 patients with moyamoya disease, who underwent superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery single-barrel bypass between 2019 and 2022 at our institution were evaluated. Hemispheres with anastomosis anterior or posterior to the central sulcus were categorized into the anterior and posterior groups. Among the PA subtypes, lenticulostriate anastomosis (LSA) and choroidal anastomosis (ChA) were analyzed. Revascularization areas resulting from bypass surgery and PA regression were evaluated by postoperative angiography. The correlation of the anastomosis site and revascularization area with PA regression was investigated.

RESULTS

In total, 126 hemispheres were analyzed individually, with 33 and 93 in the anterior and posterior groups, respectively. LSA regression was more commonly observed in the anterior group than in the posterior group. ChA regression occurred more frequently in the posterior group than in the anterior group. PA grade decreased in many large revascularization area cases in the LSA group but not in the ChA group. Multivariate analysis showed that LSA regression was associated with the anastomosis site and revascularization area. However, the anastomosis site was the only independent factor for ChA.

CONCLUSION

Postoperative PA regression correlated with anastomosis site and revascularization area. The anastomosis site may be important for ChA, and considering the target vessel based on the PA development is necessary.