Retrospective analysis of case records of 9793 patients with brain tumors operated on at the Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute from 1985 to 1992 was done. 323 patients (3.2%) had postoperative CNS infectious complications with deaths registered in 46 cases. Cholesteatomas and choriopapillomas had the highest complication rates: 12% of all cases and 11.4%, respectively. Variable incidence was observed in the glial tumors group: from 3% in glioblastoma patients to 4.7% in oligodendroglioma patients. Concurrent infections, surgical approaches via parabasal sinuses and CSF leakage at the operation site were considered as risk factors for postoperative CNS infectious complications.