Introduction: Adult Chronic hydrocephalus(ACH) was first described in 1965 as normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) by Adams and Hakim [1]. Its initial definition was based on the clinical triad (Adams and Hakim triad) associating cognitive, gait and sphincter disorders in association with dilatation of the ventricles and normal CSF pressure on lumbar puncture (LP). The aim of this study is to lay the foundations of the epidemiology of ACH in Burkina Faso and to describe the difficulties associated with its management from January 2015 to December 2021.
Patients and Method: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective study over a 7-year period, including all adult patients managed for chronic hydrocephalus and with usable clinical records.
Results: Thirty-four cases of chronic adult hydrocephalus were included. The mean age was 51.8 years. The sex ratio was 3.85. The clinical signs were gait disorders in 32 cases (94.12%), intellectual disorders in 26 cases (76.47%), and sphincter disorders in 25 cases (73.53%). Brain CT scan showed tetraventricular dilatation in 24 patients (70.6%). Preoperative lumbar puncture was performed in 9 cases (26.47%). Thirty (30) cases (88.24%) underwent a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and only one case (2.94%) underwent a
ventriculocisternostomy. After an mean follow-up of 7 months, the results of the treatment were favorable, with improvement in 32 cases (94.1%).
Conclusion: Chronic hydrocephalus in adults is still an uncommon condition in our context. Treatment significantly improves quality of life. Mass screening could be used to recruit a large number of patients for treatment.

Adams Hakim Triad; Chronic Hydrocephalus; Adults; Shunting