Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2002 Jul;87(1):F37-41.
doi: 10.1136/fn.87.1.f37.

Posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilatation in the premature infant: natural history and predictors of outcome

B P Murphy  1 , T E Inder, V Rooks, G A Taylor, N J Anderson, N Mogridge, L J Horwood, J J Volpe
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilatation in the premature infant: natural history and predictors of outcome

B P Murphy et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2002 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the natural history and predictors of outcome of posthaemorrhagic ventriculomegaly in the very low birthweight (VLBW) infant.

Methods: All VLBW infants admitted between September 1994 and September 1997 to the neonatal intensive care units of Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston), Children's Hospital (Boston), and Christchurch Women's Hospital (New Zealand) with germinal matrix intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) were identified. All charts and ultrasound scans were reviewed to define the natural history and perinatal and/or postnatal factors of value in prediction of the course of posthaemorrhagic ventriculomegaly. Progressive ventricular dilatation (PVD) was defined from the results of serial cranial ultrasound scans.

Results: A total of 248 VLBW infants had evidence of IVH (22% of all VLBW infants, mean (SD) gestational age 26.8 (2.6) weeks). A quarter of the infants exhibited PVD. Spontaneous arrest of PVD occurred without treatment in 38% of infants with PVD. Of the remaining 62% with persistent PVD, 48% received non-surgical treatment only (pharmacological and/or drainage of cerebrospinal fluid by serial lumbar punctures), 34% received surgical treatment with insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal reservoir and/or shunt, and 18% died. The development of PVD after IVH and adverse short term outcome, such as the requirement for surgery, were predicted most strongly by the severity of IVH.

Conclusions: These data reflect the natural history of PVD in the 1990s and show that, despite a slight reduction in its overall incidence, there appears to be a more aggressive course, with appreciable mortality and morbidity in the extremely premature infant. The major predictor of adverse short term outcome, defined as death or need for surgical intervention, was the severity of IVH. These findings may be valuable for the management of very small premature infants.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Natural history of very low birthweight infants with posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PVD). IVH, Intraventricular haemorrhage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Progressive ventricular dilatation (PVD) over the past 22 years.
    Weissman LT, Marro PJ, Kessler DL, Sobel DB, Morrow DL, Boggs S, Allan WC. Weissman LT, et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2003 May;88(3):F257. doi: 10.1136/fn.88.3.f257-a. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2003. PMID: 12719408 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

References

    1. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2000 May;82(3):F218-23 - PubMed
    1. Early Hum Dev. 1999 Jan;53(3):193-218 - PubMed
    1. Pediatrics. 2000 Jun;105(6):1216-26 - PubMed
    1. Ann Neurol. 1980 Feb;7(2):118-24 - PubMed
    1. Pediatrics. 1981 Nov;68(5):623-9 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms