Bypass in neurosurgery—indications and techniques

Since the introduction of cerebral bypass surgery by Professor Yasargil in 1967, a plethora of literature has been published on direct cerebral revascularization. Against this background, it is remarkable that at present, only three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exist in the field, both dealing with extracranial to intracranial bypass surgery for flow augmentation in patients at risk to suffer ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke due to cerebrovascular disease. Next to flow augmentation, the other main indication for bypass surgery is to provide flow replacement following proximal vessel sacrifice for treatment of complex aneurysms or skull base tumors. The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature regarding the indications and the techniques of cerebral bypass surgery for prevention of cerebral ischemia.