Colloid transfusion during surgical decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) to treat space-occupying cerebral infarction induced by middle cerebral artery (MCA) is controversial. A multicenter retrospective study was conducted to determine whether an increased colloid transfusion during surgery is associated with a lower incidence of postoperative pneumonia and better long-term outcomes after space-occupying cerebral infarction. Data from surgical DHC within 48 hours to treat space-occupying cerebral infarction that took place between November 30, 2013, and March 30, 2016, were collected in a multicenter chart. Univariate analysis, Spearman correlation, χ2 test, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to account for the associations between colloid transfusion and postoperative pneumonia or long-term outcomes (indicated by modified Rankin Scale [mRS] scores). Univariate analysis showed that surgical duration and mRS were significantly different between the subjects older and younger than 60 years who underwent surgical DHC (P < 0.05). In the entire population studied, increased National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was associated with a greater incidence of postoperative pneumonia (odds ratio [OR] 1.255, P= 0.003) and increased mRS (OR 1.229, P= 0.014). In the population older than 60 years, it was revealed that increased colloid transfusion was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative pneumonia (OR 0.761, P= 0.030) or better outcomes, as indicated with lower mRS (OR 0.837, P= 0.045). Our retrospective study demonstrated that there is a robust association between increased perioperative colloid transfusion and lower incidence of postoperative pneumonia and better outcomes among the patients older than 60 years after space-occupying cerebral infarction.