A 58-year-old Hispanic man with a history of coronary artery disease and three episodes of strokes with residual left upper and lower extremity weakness presented to our facility with a new onset left-sided facial droop. He reported facial numbness, dysarthria, and blurred vision. His neurological examination revealed left-sided facial droop, positive pronator drift, and left-sided hemiparesis, as well as positive left Babinski sign. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without contrast described a patchy region of acute ischemia in the mid and posterior right frontal lobe, predominantly peripherally and cortically based, measuring 3.8 cm x 3 cm (Figure ).\nNeck and head computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed bilateral supraclinoid ICA occlusions (Figure ).\nCerebral angiography demonstrated diffuse intracranial vascular irregularity with stenosis, more pronounced above the bilateral supraclinoid ICAs and on the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) (Figure ).\nImaging findings were suggestive of moyamoya phenomenon. Superficial temporal artery (STA)-MCA vascular bypass was not an option due to the lack of right MCA patency. Therefore, he underwent right-sided EDAS procedure. STA was dissected inferiorly to see it at just above the root of the zygoma. Superiorly, three branches were identified: one frontally, one temporally, and one superiorly. Even after full dissection, the STA was still not completely movable. The smallest posterior branch was bipolared and cut, and therefore there was more mobility in the STA. The other branches were all dopplerable. The STA was then again dissected completely free and moved anteriorly. Subperiosteal dissection was done. A perforator drill was used to makde a bur hole at the superior portion of the incision, and then one at the inferior portion of incision along the course of the STA. The burr holes were connected with a footplate, and the bone was removed in one piece. The dura was tented up and opened. The STA was brought on top of the brain. There was still some tension on the STA. Therefore, STA was further dissected at the level of the root of zygoma and at the superior branches. There was still tension on the STA, and therefore again it was dopplered inferiorly and superiorly. The frontal branch of the STA was bipolared and cut. At this point, the STA was completely free superiorly and inferiorly with good Doppler signals superiorly and inferiorly. The STA was brought in and laid down on top of the brain. The STA was on top of the pia without tension. No complications noted intraoperatively. Postoperatively, his facial droop gradually improved, but the residual left-sided weakness remained unchanged. He was discharged home with levetiracetam and aspirin. Follow-up of nine months later revealed no evidence of new stroke recurrence.
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.