Cerebral edema with secondary brain stem compression is often fatal. This is head CT scan was performed five days after a 37 y.o. The image shows swelling of brain tissue with displacement of the ventricles. The patient expired the next day due to compression of his brainstem. Patients who survive strokes show disturbed learning profiles and psychoemotional problems.
Children perform poorly in school relative to their peers.
Neovascularization occurs in the areas of the brain that are left underperfused by the stroke. The network of vessels in moyamoya have a propensity to rupture. Hemorrhage produces additional neurological deficits. The problem frequently is complicated by pre-existing defalcations from the earlier arterial occlusive stroke. Bleeds from moyamoya can be extremely debilitating and even fatal in patients with sickle cell disease.