**5. Complications of ventriculostomy**

It has been noted that with technological advancement and improvement of medica knowledge the management of hydrocephalus and ventricular pathologies has greatly improved. However, it is worth noting that despite these advancement in management we still have a lot of complications from ventriculostomy. These complications range from infection to death. Intraoperative, early (1 month), and late postoperative (>1 month) complications are all possible. Hemorrhage (cortical, ventricular, and cisternal vessels), neural injury (fornix, third cranial nerve, hypothalamus, and middle brain), subdural collections, pneumoventricle, hyponatremia, seizures, delayed awakening, bradycardia, hypothalamic dysfunction (diabetes insipidus, lack of thirst, amenorrhea), and hyperthermia are among the intraoperative and early complications. Reclosure of the stoma, weight increase, and premature puberty are examples of late problems.

The following paragraphs discuss these complications detailly;


## *Ventriculostomy DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.111764*

3.Infection (ventriculitis): ventriculitis is inflammation of the ependymal lining of the cerebral ventricles, usually secondary to infection. It has other names such as; ventricular empyema and pyogenic ventriculitis. It is an indolent but lethal infection and a source of persistent infection [24] Early diagnosis is essential for appropriate treatment. It is of particular concern in patients post ventriculostomy and has been associated with increased morbidity, mortality and financial costs [25]. This could be associated to either the asepsis intra op, introduction of foreign material, presence of stoma blockage or persistent leak which are often result in delayed wound healing.
