Complications of Therapies for Neurocysticercosis in Children

Surgical complications

• No unique complications expected: The complications usually seen are common to other neurosurgical procedures, such as wound infection, CSF fistula, and postoperative hemorrhage. Ventricular bleeding can be seen after neuroendoscopy (5). Rupture of intraventricular or cisternal cysticercus during surgery is not associated with dissemination of the disease (2).

Medical complications

• Worsening of symptoms: Antiparasitic drugs can induce an inflammatory response that includes headaches, dizziness, and a transient increase of seizures. Antiparasitic drugs should be introduced after a 3- to 5-day course of corticosteroids.
• Seizures: Long-term antiepileptic therapy is required if the patient had preoperative convulsions. Residual lesions correlated significantly with seizure recurrence (60).
• Secondary effects of antiparasitic drug therapy: Hepatotoxicity, leucopenia, and reversible alopecia have been reported (44).