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OBJECTIVE Neurosurgical outcomes are not well defined in the management of pediatric patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) following acute mastoiditis. Specific notable sequelae are otogenic (otitic) hydrocephalus and CVST management. Correspondingly, the aim of this study was to integrate the currently published metadata to summarize these outcomes. METHODS Electronic searches were performed using the Ovid Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases from inception to November 2022 following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Cohort-level data were then abstracted for analysis for appropriate pediatric patients. Outcomes were pooled by random-effects meta-analyses of proportions where possible. RESULTS Twenty-three study cohorts describing 312 pediatric patients with otogenic CVST were included. At a cohort level, the median patient age was 6 years among 181 boys (58%) and 131 girls (42%). Modeling indicated papilledema at presentation in 46% of cases (95% CI 30%–62%). Regarding management, antibiotics were applied universally in all cases, mastoidectomy or other otologic surgery was performed in 91% (95% CI 82%–98%), and prophylactic anticoagulation was administered in 86% (95% CI 75%–95%). There was only 1 case (0.3%) of postprocedural intracranial hemorrhage, and there were no deaths reported among all studies. Although diagnostic lumbar puncture was performed in 14% (95% CI 3%–28%) at presentation, clinical otogenic hydrocephalus was ultimately suspected in 31% (95% CI 14%–49%), and acetazolamide was given in 65% (95% CI 35%–91%) overall. There were 10 cases (3%) that proceeded to permanent CSF diversion in the form of ventricular shunting. At a median follow-up of 8 months among all studies, the venous sinus was completely recanalized in 67% (95% CI 53%–79%). CONCLUSIONS Most CVSTs following acute mastoiditis will recanalize with the standard use of antibiotics, otologic surgery, and anticoagulation, with minimal symptomatic hemorrhage risk. However, an appreciable proportion of these patients will develop symptomatic otogenic hydrocephalus, and it is imperative that the appropriate surveillance and workup is performed to fully optimize patient outcomes long-term. The possible need for permanent CSF diversion should be recognized.

Introduction: Perioperative stroke is a major complication of revascularization surgery in patients with moyamoya. Vomiting is common after neurosurgical procedures and may result in acute changes in intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow. We instituted a standardized perioperative nausea and vomiting protocol for children and young adults with moyamoya undergoing indirect bypass surgery at our institution. Hypothesis: Instituting a standardized perioperative nausea and vomiting protocol will be associated with reduction in the number of perioperative strokes in children with moyamoya undergoing indirect bypass surgery. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive cases of children and young adults with moyamoya who underwent indirect bypass surgery before and after implementation of a new perioperative nausea and vomiting protocol. We compared the rate of strokes in the perioperative period (post-operative day 0 and 1) in the 41 months following implementation (155 surgically treated hemispheres) to 155 surgically treated hemispheres (over 30 months) prior to implementation using Fisher’s Exact test. Results: The mean age prior to implementation was 8.7 years (SD 5.5 years) and 9.9 years (SD 6.2 years) post implementation which was not significantly different (p=0.17). In the 30 months prior to initiation of the perioperative nausea and vomiting protocol there were 5 strokes in 155 surgically treated hemispheres (3.2%). After initiation of the protocol, there were no strokes in 155 surgically treated hemispheres (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Instituting a standardized perioperative nausea and vomiting protocol was associated with reduction in perioperative strokes in children with moyamoya treated with indirect bypass surgery.

Cerebral proliferative angiopathy (CPA) is an entity distinct from that of classical arteriovenous malformations. As such, few reports have considered the long-term follow-up of patients with hemorrhage in CPA. Accordingly, herein the authors present a case of recurrent hemorrhage in CPA with 32 years of follow-up and in so doing summarize the literature of hemorrhagic cases in CPA. A 19-year-old presented with focal awareness seizures and diagnostic work-up revealed a left hemispheric vascular lesion. The patient presented again with intracranial hemorrhage at ages 28, 43 and 51. Angioarchitectural workup revealed intermingled brain parenchyma between vascular spaces, absence of dominant feeders and a clear nidus consistent with CPA. The size and diffuse nature of the lesion deemed it inoperable. Given our case and review of the literature it is apparent that CPA has a high risk of re-hemorrhage in the rare event that hemorrhage does occur.

BackgroundVascular access in neonates is limited by the small size of the femoral artery and the risk of complications, including thrombosis and limb ischemia. Although umbilical artery access has been described, previous reports detail exchange of the umbilical artery catheter (UAC) for a conventional arterial sheath, which can be difficult and cumbersome. We aim to describe direct use of the UAC as the sheath and guide catheter in neonatal patients requiring endovascular treatment for life-threatening intracranial arteriovenous shunts.MethodsWe reviewed all cases between 2016 and 2021 of neonatal intervention using a direct UAC approach. We describe our technique of utilizing UACs for cerebral angiography and neurointerventions in newborns without catheter exchange, allowing for repeated, straightforward endovascular access in neonates across multiple interventions.ResultsSeven consecutive neonates underwent endovascular neurointerventional procedures for the treatment of life-threatening, high-flow arteriovenous shunts using a direct UAC access technique without procedural morbidity. Five of seven patients underwent more than one procedure in the neonatal period, between day 1 and day 10 of life.ConclusionsUse of the UAC itself as a diagnostic catheter for cerebral angiography or as a guide catheter for neurointerventions greatly facilitates endovascular interventions in newborns and is ideal for patients requiring multiple interventions in the neonatal period. This technique helps to mitigate the risk of neonatal femoral artery access and its complications, including thrombosis, dissection, spasm, stenosis, and limb ischemia.

ObjectivesTuberculosis is uncommon in the United States and a rare cause of meningitis in children with severe neurologic consequences. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is an even rarer cause of moyamoya syndrome with only a handful of cases previously reported.MethodsWe report the case of a female patient who initially presented at 6 years of age with TBM and developed moyamoya syndrome requiring revascularization surgery.ResultsShe was found to have basilar meningeal enhancement and right basal ganglia infarcts. She was treated with 12 months of antituberculosis therapy and 12 months of enoxaparin and maintained on daily aspirin indefinitely. However, she developed recurrent headaches and transient ischemic attacks and was found to have progressive bilateral moyamoya arteriopathy. At age 11 years, she underwent bilateral pial synangiosis for the treatment of her moyamoya syndrome.DiscussionMoyamoya syndrome is a rare but serious sequalae of TBM and may be more common in pediatric patients. The risk of stroke may be mitigated by pial synangiosis or other revascularization surgeries in carefully selected patients.