Objective to study the effection of the lumbar puncture treating patients with brain stem hemorrhage flooding into ventricular.

There is no evidence that early tapping of cerebrospinal fluid by lumbar puncture or ventricular tap reduces the risk of shunt dependence, disability, multiple disability or death.

Repeated early lumbar puncture or ventricular taps have been advocated as a way of avoiding hydrocephalus and protecting the brain from pressure.