Intraventricular Hemorrhage in the Premature Infant: A Changing Outlook

OVER the past decade morbidity and mortality among very-low-birth-weight preterm infants decreased dramatically. With improved survival, a previously rare diagnosis — intraventricular hemorrhage — became increasingly common.¹ Introduction of the CT scanner revealed that 32 to 44 per cent of infants weighing under 1500 g at birth had subependymal hemorrhage or intraventricular hemorrhage. Routine scanning of infants weighing under 1800 g became common. The mortality from severe hemorrhage was estimated to be 50 to 65 per cent, and hydrocephalus was believed to develop in 45 to 100 per cent of the survivors.^{2 3 4 5 6 7} Various medical approaches to the therapy of posthemorrhagic.