[Treatment of the secondary hydrocephalus of tuberculous meningitis by lateral ventricular drainage and drug injection].

OBJECTIVE

To decrease intracranial pressure rapidly and cure the secondary hydrocephalus of tuberculous meningitis.

METHODS

Every case was drained at the frontal horn of lateral ventricle of non-predominant cerebral hemisphere, injected the mixture of 100 mg isoniazid and 2 mg dexamethasone into the lateral ventricle through ventricular drainage tube once every two days or once every day in some severe cases.

RESULTS

The high intracranial pressure of 23 cases suffered from tuberculous meningitis were immediately decreased to normal level. The symptoms of 8 cases complicated with brain hernia were quickly improved. The cerebrospinal fluid became normal within 2-4 weeks after lateral ventricular drug injection.

CONCLUSIONS

Lateral ventricular drainage and drug injection can obtain good result and provide a new approach to treatment of secondary hydrocephalus cases suffered from tuberculous meningitis.