The authors describe a simple technique that reduces the incidence of retained ventricular catheters and minimizes the risk of life-threatening intraventricular hemorrhage during the removal of an obstructed, adherent ventricular catheter in patients with hydrocephalus. The technique requires no special equipment and has been successfully used, without complications, in a prospective series of 12 patients with 13 blocked, adherent ventricular catheters.