What are the treatments for Moyamoya disease ?
How might Moyamoya disease be treated? Treatment for Moyamoya disease should begin early in the disease course to prevent severe complications. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment, and is the only viable long-term treatment. There are several types of revascularization surgeries that can restore blood flow to the brain by opening narrowed blood vessels, or by bypassing blocked arteries. While children usually respond better to revascularization surgery than adults, the majority of individuals have no further strokes or related problems after surgery. No medication can stop the narrowing of the brain's blood vessels, or the development of the thin, fragile vessels that characterize the disease. However, medications are used to treat many of the symptoms of the disease, and are often an important part of the management. Medications may include aspirin (to prevent or reduce the development of small blood clots); calcium channel blockers (which may improve symptoms of headaches and reduce symptoms related to transient ischemic attacks); and anti-seizure medications (when needed for a seizure disorder). In a few cases, anticoagulants may be needed for people with unstable or frequent symptoms. However, they are not used long-term due to the risk of cerebral bleeding. Additional information about the treatment of Moyamoya disease is available on Medscape Reference's Web site. People interested in learning about specific treatment options for themselves or family members should speak with their health care provider.