Intraventricular cysticercosis.

The authors review their experience with 21 cases of intraventricular cysticercosis, which corresponded to 28% of all cases of neurocysticercosis in their department during an 18-month period. The surgical approach depends on the cyst's location; one uses the transcortical microsurgical approach to reach the lateral ventricles, the transcortical or transcallosal approach to reach the 3rd ventricle, and direct exploration to reach the 4th ventricle. Cysticercus cysts should be removed because they may produce acute or chronic hydrocephalus and, if the parasite dies within the ventricles, it will generate an inflammatory reaction with local and generalized ventriculitis, which produces irreversible neurological damage.