Aim: To determine cerebral blood flow using near infrared spectroscopy in extremely preterm infants undergoing high-frequency oscillatory ventilation during the first three days of life. Low cerebral blood flow has been associated with both intra-ventricular haemorrhage and periventricular leucomalacia. It is well established that cerebral blood flow increases over the first three days of life in extremely preterm infants who are conventionally ventilated with intermittent positive pressure ventilation. However, there is no information about cerebral blood flow in preterm babies undergoing high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. In addition, there are concerns that high-frequency oscillatory ventilation may be associated with an increased incidence of intra-ventricular haemorrhage in premature infants.
Methods: Thirteen appropriately grown, preterm infants of less than 28 wk gestation who were admitted to the neonatal unit at University College Hospital, London were studied using near infrared spectroscopy. Left ventricular output and right ventricular output were assessed echocardiographically.
Results: Extremely preterm infants undergoing high-frequency oscillatory ventilation have remarkably low cerebral blood flow in the first 12 h of life, median 6.7 (range 4.4-11) mls. 100 g(-1) min(-1) followed by an increase over the subsequent three days. Left ventricular output also increased over the first three days of life, whereas right ventricular output showed no clear relationship with time. Despite low cerebral blood flow only one infant had evidence of major cerebral injury.
Conclusion: Cerebral blood flow is extremely low in this group of preterm babies. Despite this extremely low cerebral blood flow, the clinical outcome is good. There was an increase in cerebral blood flow and a corresponding increase in left ventricular output over the first few days of life.