Massive cerebellar infarction: "conservative" management.

Eleven patients with large cerebellar infarctions were admitted recently to our service. Eight of them showed evidence of hydrocephalus on the CT scan examination. Five were treated with controlled external ventricular drainage and six were managed conservatively. One death, most likely due to progressive brainstem infarction, occurred. The outcome was favorable in the other patients. It is suggested that prompt treatment of the acute obstructive hydrocephalus may obviate the need for posterior fossa decompression in patients with massive cerebellar infarction.