Accuracy of tunnelated vs. bolt-connected external ventricular drains.

Background: Ventriculostomy is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures and an important tool in the treatment and monitoring of elevated intracranial pressure. Low accuracy has frequently been reported in the literature with risk of drain misplacement over 20% and with a need for reinsertion in up to 40%. As an alternative to the tunnelated EVD technique we often use a bolt-connected EVD.