Comparison of the Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Arteriovenous Malformations in Pediatric and Adult Patients

It is debated whether the efficacy and long-term safety of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) differs between adult and pediatric patients. We aimed to clarify the long-term outcomes of GKRS in pediatric patients and how they compare to those in adult patients. We collected data for 736 consecutive patients with AVMs treated with GKRS between 1990 and 2014 and divided the patients into pediatric (age < 20 years, n = 144) and adult (age ≥ 20 years, n = 592) cohorts. The mean follow-up period in the pediatric cohort was 130 months. Compared to the adult patients, the pediatric patients were significantly more likely to have a history of hemorrhage (P < 0.001). The actuarial rates of post-GKRS nidus obliteration in the pediatric cohort were 36%, 60%, and 87% at 2, 3, and 6 years, respectively. Nidus obliteration occurred earlier in the pediatric cohort than in the adult cohort (P = 0.015). The actuarial rates of post-GKRS hemorrhage in the pediatric cohort were 0.7%, 2.5%, and 2.5% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Post-GKRS hemorrhage was marginally less common in the pediatric cohort than in the adult cohort (P = 0.056). Cyst formation/encapsulated hematoma were detected in seven pediatric patients (4.9%) at a median post-GKRS timepoint of 111 months, which was not significantly different from the rate in the adult cohort. Compared to adult patients, pediatric patients experience earlier therapeutic effects from GKRS for AVMs, and this improves long-term outcomes.