Clinical implications of intraoperative infrared brain surface monitoring during superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis in patients with moyamoya disease.

OBJECT: Surgical revascularization for moyamoya disease prevents cerebral ischemic attacks by improving cerebral blood flow (CBF). Symptomatic cerebral hyperperfusion is a potential complication of this procedure, but its treatment is contradictory to that for ischemia. Because intraoperative techniques to detect hyperperfusion are still lacking, the authors performed intraoperative infrared monitoring in moyamoya disease using a novel infrared imaging system.

METHODS

During superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis in 25 patients (26 hemispheres) with moyamoya disease, the authors monitored the brain surface temperature intraoperatively with the IRIS-V infrared imaging system. The average gradation value change (indicating temperature change) was calculated using commercial software. Magnetic resonance imaging, MR angiography, and N-isopropyl-p-[(123)I]iodoamphetamine SPECT studies were performed routinely before and within 10 days after surgery.

RESULTS

Patency of bypass, detailed local hemodynamics, and changes in cortical surface temperature around the anastomosis site were well recognized by the IRIS-V infrared imaging system in all cases. In the present study, 10 patients suffered transient neurological symptoms accompanied by an increase in CBF around the anastomosis site, recognized as symptomatic hyperperfusion. The increase in temperature was significantly higher in these patients. Intensive blood pressure control was undertaken, and free-radical scavengers were administered. No patient in the present study suffered a permanent neurological deficit.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the present method does not directly monitor surface CBF, temperature rise around the anastomosis site during surgery might be an indicator of postoperative hyperperfusion. Prospective evaluation with a larger number of patients is necessary to validate this technique.