Middle meningeal artery embolization in the management of chronic subdural hematoma in medically complex pediatric neurosurgical patients: technical note

Middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization has gained acceptance as a treatment for chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) in adult patients but has not been well described in pediatric patients. Standard cSDH treatment has historically consisted of burr hole drainage with or without subdural drain placement. However, due to the high rate of recurrence and frequency of comorbidities within this population, as both pediatric and adult patients with cSDH frequently have concurrent cardiac disease and a need for anticoagulant therapies, MMA embolization has increasingly demonstrated its value as both an adjunctive and primary treatment. In this report, the authors present 3 cases of successful MMA embolization in medically complex children at a single institution. MMA embolization was used as a primary treatment modality and as an adjunctive therapy in the acute setting following surgical hematoma evacuation. Two patients were receiving anticoagulation treatment requiring reversal. Technical considerations specific to the pediatric population as well as those common to both the pediatric and adult populations are addressed. Further work is needed to define the optimal indications and outcomes for MMA embolization in children with cSDH.