Final answer:
The patient with meningitis and adhesions in the ventricles is most likely to first develop noncommunicating hydrocephalus due to the blockage of CSF flow. This results in an accumulation of CSF and an increase in intracranial pressure, making it a serious and immediate complication.
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient with meningitis who is presenting with adhesions that impede the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is at risk of a particular complication due to the disturbed CSF dynamics. Among the possible complications, the one that is likely to be observed first is noncommunicating hydrocephalus.
Noncommunicating hydrocephalus, also known as obstructive hydrocephalus, occurs when there is a blockage of CSF flow within the ventricular system, usually due to a lesion such as an adhesion. Since the CSF cannot flow properly through the ventricular system, it accumulates, causing the ventricles to enlarge. This puts pressure on the surrounding brain tissue and can lead to a rapid increase in intracranial pressure, a serious condition.
Other complications like cerebral abscess, acute cerebral edema, and cranial nerve irritation may also occur, but the accumulation of CSF resulting in hydrocephalus is a more immediate consequence of the obstruction of CSF flow