The authors analised the complications of fifty seven children with hydrocephalus due to congenital malformation (42.1%), meningitis (36.8%) and tumor (21.1%), that were submitted to surgical treatment for hydrocephalus, from 1970 to 1980. External ventricular drainage and insertion of ventriculostomy reservoir were used to control the expanding hydrocephalus in children with meningitis. Complications weren't observed in the first procedure. Cutaneous abscess, brain abscess, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, wound dehiscence, malposition of the reservoir and local tumor were observed in the use of the ventriculostomy reservoir and these complications caused a revision rate of 047 revisions per patient. Hypothalamic ventriculostomy with catheter showed complications (catheter obstruction and meningitis) that caused a revision rate of 0.57 revisions per patient. Ventriculoatrial shunting procedure showed several complications (malposition of the distal catheter, malfunction of the valvular system without obstruction and infection and thrombosis of the superior vena cava), that caused a revision rate of 0.57 revisions per patient. Ventriculoperitoneal shunting procedure showed infections in 30.8%, malfunction of the valvular system in 32.2%, cerebrospinal fluid leakage in 17.3%, malposition of catheter in 13.5%, catheter disconnection in 9.6%, transient abdominal distension in two cases and overdrainage phenomena, ascites and abdominal pseudocyst in one case.