How I do it: superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery bypass for flow augmentation and replacement.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass augments blood flow in patients with cerebral ischemia or replaces flow in patients with complex aneurysms or skull base tumors requiring vessel sacrifice. METHOD: We provide a description of the STA-MCA bypass with figures and video to illustrate the procedure. CONCLUSION: The STA-MCA end-to-side anastomosis is a foundational skill for the cerebrovascular surgeon and a building block for more complex bypasses.