Acute hydrocephalus in infectious spinal disorder.

Two patients with infectious spinal disorders and increased intracranial pressure are described. One patient with spinal empyema lapsed into coma but improved after external ventricular drainage to relieve increased intracranial pressure. The second patient, who had a severe wound infection after repeated operative stabilization of a cervical spine fracture, developed increased intracranial pressure and subsequent hydrocephalus 6 months after the trauma. The pathogenesis of hydrocephalus in infectious spinal disorder is discussed.