A 23-month-old full-term Moroccan baby boy born to a non-consanguineous couple was referred to our hospital with the complaint of sudden onset left-sided hemiparesis evolving for 2 days. There was no history of fever, seizure, head injury, ear discharge, headache, visual disturbances, or vomiting. No family history of early stroke, ischemic heart disease, or autoimmune disease was reported. At presentation, he was conscious and well orientated. There was no dysmorphism, no neurocutaneous markers, and he had normal growth parameters. He was afebrile with a pulse of 110 beats per minute and a respiratory rate of 26 breaths per minute. On neurological examination, there were no signs of meningeal irritation, his gait was hemiplegic, tone was decreased over left side, power was 2/5 over left upper and lower limb using Medical Research Council (MRC) muscle strength scale, and deep tendon reflexes were exaggerated. There were no abnormalities on cardiac auscultation or hepatosplenomegaly. Brain computed tomography (CT) showed a low density area in the right cortical and subcortical frontotemporoparietal regions and right insular cortex representing ischemic lesions in the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory (Fig. ). Laboratory investigations, including hemogram, prothrombin, partial thromboplastin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), fibrinogen, proteins C and S, antithrombin III activity, and antinuclear antibody tests were all within limits. Renal ultrasonography with Doppler flow study showed no evidence of renal artery stenosis. Electroencephalography revealed no epileptic discharges, only a diffuse slow rhythm over the left hemisphere with slow waves at the temporal regions.\nOur patient was booked for cerebral angiography with contrast, which revealed a proximal obliteration in his MCA with a fine anastomotic moyamoya network and typical “puff of smoke” appearance (Fig. ). Urine for metabolic screening, including homocysteine levels, was normal. A normal hemoglobin electrophoresis ruled out sickle cell disease. An electrocardiogram and echocardiogram revealed no abnormalities. He was finally diagnosed as a case of MMD.\nWe treated our patient conservatively with acetylsalicylic acid 5 mg/kg per day. He showed slight improvement in power over left side (3/5). He was then discharged to follow-up with pediatric neurosurgeon. Cerebral revascularization surgery using encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) was performed. At 8-month follow-up, his hemiparesis was improved and no further ischemic events had occurred.
A 53-year-old male patient, without relevant personal or family history, was admitted to the emergency room after he suddenly developed severe headache with dysarthria, altered state of consciousness and syncope. At the time of admission, he was found drowsy with global aphasia, stiff neck, right hemiparesis and right Babinski's sign. Kernig's sign was present too. Fundoscopy did not show retinal hemorrhages. Autoimmune diseases, brain tumors, actinic encephalopathy, Von Recklinghausen's disease and Down syndrome were clinically ruled out.\nA non-contrast brain computed tomography revealed bleeding in the subarachnoid space over the left frontal and parietal cortex []. Four-vessel cerebral angiography showed bilateral stenosis of the supraclinoid segment of both internal carotid arteries and multiple tortuous vessels branching from the anterior and middle cerebral arteries (moyamoya vessels). These abnormal vessels were anastomosing with branches from the posterior cerebral and middle meningeal arteries. With this information, MMD diagnosis was made. An extensive search for aneurysms and vascular malformations was done, including a three-dimensional reconstruction from each projection of the four-vessel angiography, with no other abnormalities found []. Taking into account the possibility of an angiographically occult aneurysm, digital subtraction angiography was repeated after 4 weeks and remained without changes from the previous.\nDuring hospitalization, the patient developed a massive pulmonary embolism and subsequently died.