Efficacy and safety of external ventricular drainage in the treatment of space-occupying cerebellar infarction.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of external ventricular drainage (EVD) in managing patients with space-occupying cerebellar infarction. The 48 patients were divided into two groups: the EVD group and the non-EVD group. The outcomes of the patient were assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), with scores of ≤ 3 indicating a favorable prognosis. Among the 48 patients, 29 underwent EVD, while 19 were in the non-EVD group. This non-EVD group included 14 patients who underwent suboccipital decompression and 5 who underwent suboccipital decompression combined with necrosectomy. In the EVD group, 20 patients had a favorable prognosis and 9 had a poor prognosis, with 6 deaths. In the non-EVD group, 16 patients had a favorable prognosis and 3 had a poor prognosis, with 3 deaths. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score < 9 (OR 9.5, 95% CI 1.5-77.0, P = 0.05), cerebral infarction (OR 15.6, 95% CI 2.3-144.0, P = 0.03), and the requirement for postoperative ventilatory support (OR 12.7, 95% CI 2.7-79.4, P = 0.01) were independent risk factors for poor patient outcomes. For patients with space-occupying cerebellar infarction, EVD might be an effective and safe treatment option. However, its efficacy and safety require further confirmation through prospective randomized clinical trials.