Between 1980 and 1985, 131 patients suffering from haemorrhagic internal pachymeningitis had undergone surgery. Mean patient age was 59 years (range: 16-90 years). Operation technique was burr-hole craniotomy with closed-system drainage in 124 cases. In five cases primary, in 24 cases secondary removal of the capsule was performed. An Ommaya reservoir was implanted in eight cases. All patients were re-examined after an average of six months and classified into six groups according to the neurological findings. Comparison of initial findings and final results showed an improvement in the patients' condition in 83 cases (63%). There was no change in 20 patients (15%) and deterioration in seven (5%). Twenty-one patients (16%) died during the observation period.