Cryptococcal meningitis in the immunocompromised host: intracranial hypertension and other complications

Cryptococcosis as a complication of the immunocompromised host has dramatic ally increased in frequency since the start of the AIDS epidemic. This tren d has heightened awareness of the complications of cryptococcal meningitis; of these, intracranial hypertension is common, severe, and life-threatenin g, as exemplified by three cases in our institutions presented here in deta il. An aggressive approach to management of this complication has not been the standard of care, but neurosurgical interventional studies combined wit h physiologic observations suggest early intervention may reduce the devast ating morbidity and mortality.