Introduction: Hydrocephalus is one of the most significant complications of spontaneous subarachnoidal haemorrhaging that can be treated surgically.
Objective: We analysed risk factors that caused spontaneous subarachnoidal haemorrhaging. Patients were divided into two groups: shunt-dependent and shunt-independent.
Method: We retrospectively analysed 174 patients (63 men and 111 women), surgically treated at the Institute of Neurosurgery of Clinical Centre of Serbia in the period from January 2002 to January 2004.
Results: The prevalence of hydrocephalus in patients with a shunt (shunt-dependent) was most significant in women (18%:9.5%), but not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Concerning the significance of age (years), we found that hydrocephalus in patients with a shunt was most significant in older patients (p < 0.025). The HiH and Fisher gradings were not statistically significant in our study (p > 0.05%). In patients with intraventricular haemorrhaging (29.3%:10.5%) and vasospasms (34.6%:6.5%), the prevalence of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus was statistically very significant (p < 0.005; p < 0.001). The frequency of ventriculomegalia in the initial CT scan was greater for patients with a confirmed diagnosis, but of no statistical significance (p > 0.05). The prevalence of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus with aneurysms in the a. basillaris basin was 47.4%, with multiple aneurysms 17.2%, and with aneurysms of the anterior segment 9.5%, which represents a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: We discovered that hydrocephalus, as a complication of spontaneous subarachnoidal haemorrhaging, was most frequent in patients older than 50 years, manifesting in ventricular haemorrhaging, vasospasm, and aneurysms of the posterior segment.