Abstract: Objective To observe the clinical effect of the lateral ventricular drainage in early treatment of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis,and to investigate its efficacy and safety.Methods Retrospective review and analyse the clinical data of 5 patients who had cryptococcal meningoencephalitis with intracranial hypertension using above treatment.Results In all the 5 patients, clinical symptom alleviated rapidly after early lateral ventricular drainage treatment,and no relapse was complained even after withdraw of lateral ventricular drainage. During the treatment of lateral ventricular drainage, no complication of lateral ventricular drainage,such intracranial infection was observed,and combined the antifungal therapy,the early microbiological test results improved.Conclusion Lateral ventricular drainage is an effective, rapid and safe method to ameliorate headache in the early treatment of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.

Key words: Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis, lateral ventricular drainage, treatment