title: Gamma Knife radiosurgery for arteriovenous malformations in pediatric patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors present the results of Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery performed in a series of children with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 2005 and January 2014, 75 patients 18 years old or younger received Gamma Knife radiosurgery for AVMs. Of these, 58 patients were eligible for further analysis. The median age of the population was 12 years; 41% presented with hemorrhage, 34% with neurological insult, and 24% patients were diagnosed incidentally. The median AVM volume was 3.5 cm(3). The median radiosurgery-based AVM score (RSBAVMS) was 0.86. The median follow-up period was 32 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Single session Gamma Knife radiosurgery resulted in complete AVM obliteration in 40 (68.9%) patients. There were 35 (60.3%) excellent outcome (complete obliteration with no new deficits) in this series. During the follow-up period, nine (15.51%) patients experienced new deficits and three (5.1%) patients experienced intracranial hemorrhage. The annual rate of developing new deficits and hemorrhage was calculated as 5.45 and 1.8%, respectively. Volume, gender, RSBAVMS, and nidus type factor were factors associated with excellent outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiosurgery was successful in majority of patients with minimal morbidity. Gamma Knife radiosurgery for AVMs can be a safe and successful method in pediatric patients.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, 06500, Turkey, alpborcek@gmail.com.
authors: Alp Özgün
authors: AÖ
authors: Börcek
authors: Hakan
authors: H
authors: Emmez
authors: Koray M
authors: KM
authors: Akkan
authors: Özgür
authors: Ö
authors: Öcal
authors: Gökhan
authors: G
authors: Kurt
authors: Sükrü
authors: S
authors: Aykol
authors: Eray
authors: E
authors: Karahacioğli
authors: Kemali M
authors: KM
authors: Baykaner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome