Steno-occlusive changes in the external carotid system in moyamoya disease.

To evaluate the steno-occlusive changes in the external carotid system in moyamoya disease, cerebral angiograms of 39 moyamoya patients were retrospectively reviewed. There were 26 females and 13 males, age ranged from 4 to 62 years with a mean of 26 years. Initial symptoms were ischaemia in 27 patients, haemorrhage in 9, and none in 3. Stenosis, occlusion, and dilatation in the external carotid system were analysed angiographically. No stenosis or occlusion of the superficial temporal artery, middle meningeal artery, or occipital artery was observed in either preoperative or postoperative follow-up angiograms in any patients. Steno-occlusive changes do not occur in the external carotid system, but are confined in the internal carotid system in moyamoya disease.