THE INFLUENCE OF RESUSCITATION PROCEDURES ON CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW VELOCITIES IN PRETERM INFANTS

Abstract

Aim: To assess cbfv in preterm infants immediately after birth, during cardiopulmonary adaptation, and during resuscitation procedures.

Methods: In a prospective-descriptive study maximum and mean velocities are measured in anterior cerebral arteries with a 5.5 Mhz short focused colour flow transducer. Hewlett Packard Sonos 1000. Patients: n = 18 preterm infants delivered abdominally, n= 9/9 - vertex /breech presentation. bw. 1210 ± 210 g, ga: 30.4 ± 2.1 wks.

Results: Changes of cbfv were classified in low (< 30%, n = 4), medium (30-80%, n = 7) and high (> 80%, n = 5). High changes (up to 350%) were observed in infants with low heartrate within the first min of life, during intubation and surfactant application. These infants needed almost 15 minutes to regain primary cbfv patterns.

Conclusion: Our study shows that during cardiopulmonary adaptation changes of cbfv are much higher than those reported so far, and major alterations of cbfv are caused by resuscitation procedures

Supported by Pediatric Research Foundation of the Department of Pediatrics, University ol Graz, Austria

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