• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제66권3호
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• pp.239-246
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• 2023

Germinal matrix and intraventricular hemorrhage (GM-IVH) are the major causes of intracranial hemorrhage in premature infants. Cranial ultrasound (cUS) is the imaging modality of choice for diagnosing and classifying GM-IVH. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), usually performed at term-equivalent age, is more sensitive than cUS in identifying hemorrhage in the brain. Post-hemorrhagic ventricular dilatation is a significant complication of GM-IVH and correlates with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. In this review, we discuss the various imaging findings of GM-IVH in premature infants, focusing on the role of cUS and MRI.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제66권3호
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• pp.258-262
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• 2023

Germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage (GM-IVH) is among the devastating neurological complications with mortality and neurodevelopmental disability rates ranging from 14.7% to 44.7% in preterm infants. The medical techniques have improved throughout the years, as the morbidity-free survival rate of very-low-birth-weight infants has increased; however, the neonatal and long-term morbidity rates have not significantly improved. To this date, there is no strong evidence on pharmacological management on GM-IVH, due to the limitation of well-designed randomized controlled studies. However, recombinant human erythropoietin administration in preterm infants seems to be the only effective pharmacological management in limited situations. Hence, further high-quality collaborative research studies are warranted in the future to ensure better outcomes among preterm infants with GM-IVH.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.334-337
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• 2014

Objective : The purpose of this study is to identify the risk factors associated with the development of germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage (GM-IVH) and the relationship of the severity of disease and prematurity. Methods : A total of 168 premature neonates whose birth weight ${\leq}1500g$ or gestational age ${\leq}34$ weeks were examined by cranial ultrasound (CUS) for detection of GM-IVH among the babies admitted between January 2011 and December 2012 in our medical center neonatal intensive care unit. The babies were divided into two groups : GM-IVH and non-IVH. Clinical presentations, precipitating factors of the patients and maternal factors were analyzed. Results : In univariate analysis, gestational age, birth weight, delivery method, presence of premature rupture of membrane (PROM) and level of sodium and glucose were statistically meaningful factors (p<0.05). But only two factors, gestational age and presence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) were statistically meaningful in multivariate logistic regression (p<0.05). Delivery method [normal vaginal delivery (NVD) to Caeserean section] was borderline significant (p<0.10). Conclusion : Presence of PDA and gestational age were the important risk factors associated with development of GM-IVH.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제66권3호
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• pp.298-307
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• 2023

Remarkable advances in neonatal care have significantly improved the survival of extremely low birth weight infants in recent years. However, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) continues to be a major complication in preterm infants, leading to a high incidence of cerebral palsy and cognitive impairment. IVH is primarily caused by disruption of the fragile vascular network of the subependymal germinal matrix, and subsequent ventricular dilatation adversely affects the developing infant brain. Based on recent research, periventricular white matter injury is caused not only by ischemia and morphological distortion due to ventricular dilatation but also by free iron and inflammatory cytokines derived from hematoma and its lysates. The current guidelines for the treatment of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) in preterm infants do not provide strong recommendations, but initiating treatment intervention based on ultrasound measurement values before the appearance of clinical symptoms of PHH has been proposed. Moreover, in the past decade, therapeutic interventions that actively remove hematomas and lysates have been introduced. The era is moving beyond cerebrospinal fluid shunt toward therapeutic goals aimed at improving neurodevelopmental outcomes.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

Extremely low birth weight infants remain at increased risk of intraventricular hemorrhage from the fragile vascular bed of the germinal matrix; the roles of hypotension (ischemia) and reperfusion (hyperemia) in the development of intraventricular hemorrhage are still debated. Cerebrovascular pressure autoregulation protects the brain by maintaining constant cerebral blood flow despite changes in blood pressure. The ontogeny of cerebrovascular pressure autoregulation has not been well established and uncertainty remains about the optimal arterial blood pressure required to support brain perfusion. Another important aspect of premature cerebral hemodynamics is the critical closing pressure--the arterial blood pressure at which cerebral blood flow ceases. Interestingly, in premature infants, the critical closing pressure approximates the mean arterial blood pressure. Often in this unique population, cerebral blood flow occurs only during systole when the diastolic arterial blood pressure is equal to the critical closing pressure. Moreover, the diastolic closing margin, a metric of cerebral perfusion that normalizes diastolic arterial blood pressure to the critical closing pressure, may be a better measure than arterial blood pressure for defining cerebral perfusion in premature infants. Elevated diastolic closing margin has been associated with intraventricular hemorrhage. This review summarizes the current state of understanding of cerebral hemodynamics in premature infants.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.89-94
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• 2010

Objective : To evaluate the role of cranial sonography and computed tomography in the diagnosis of neonatal intracranial hemorrhage and hypoxic-ischemic injury in an Indian set-up. Methods : The study included 100 neonates who underwent cranial sonography and computed tomography (CT) in the first month of life for suspected intracranial ischemia and hemorrhage. Two observers rated the images for possible intracranial lesions and a kappa statistic for interobserver agreement was calculated. Results : There was no significant difference in the kappa values of CT and ultrasonography (USG) for the diagnosis of germinal matrix hemorrhage/intraventricular hemorrhage (GMH/IVH) and periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) and both showed good interobserver agreement. USG, however detected more cases of GMH/IVH (24 cases) and PVL (19) cases than CT (22 cases and 16 cases of IVH and PVL, respectively). CT had significantly better interobserver agreement for the diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic injury (HII) in term infants and also detected more cases (33) as compared to USG (18). CT also detected 6 cases of extraaxial hemorrhages as compared to 1 detected by USG. Conclusion : USG is better modality for imaging preterm neonates with suspected IVH or PVL. However, USG is unreliable in the imaging of term newborns with suspected HII where CT or magnetic resonance image scan is a better modality.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.170-177
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• 2008

목적 : 순차적인 뇌초음파 검사 후 신생아 중환자실을 퇴원하는 고위험 환아에서 시행한 자기 공명 영상의 유용성을 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 총 121명의 신생아에서 시행한 412 초음파와 121 자기공명 영상을 후향적으로 분석하여 초음파 검사에서 발견된 뇌병변과 자기 공명영상에서 발견된 병변을 비교하였다. 뇌병변은 배아기질 출혈 및 뇌실 내 출혈, 그 밖의 여러 출혈과 뇌실질 손상을 중심으로 비교 분석하였다. 결과 : 총 242개의 측뇌실 중 30뇌실의 배아기질 출혈 (GMH)을 초음파로 진단하였고 자기공명영상으로 7개의 GMH를 추가로 진단할 수 있었으며 46개 뇌실의 출혈 (IVH)을 추가로 진단하였다. 출혈의 1/2/3/4 등급은 초음파에서 각각 24/8/13/0 뇌실에서 진단하였고 자기공명영상에서 3/49/10/2 뇌실에서 진단하였다. 그 외에 자기공명영상에서 대뇌 출혈 (4예), 소뇌 출혈(4예), 경막하 및 지주막하 출혈 (8예), 미만성 백질 신호강도 변화 (72예), 조직손실이 없는 작은 실질 병변 (4예), 뇌연화증 (2예), 그리고 뇌실확장 (5예)이 추가로 발견되었다. 결론 : 자기공명영상은 초음파 검사 후 두개강내 출혈과 뇌실질 손상을 추가적으로 진단하는 유용한 검사였으며 특히 뇌실 출혈과 백질 손상의 진단에 우수한 반면 배아기질 출혈은 초음파 추적검사가 더 유용할 것으로 생각한다.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.166-171
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• 2008

목 적 : 본 연구를 통하여 신생아 중환자실 환아에서 증상이 있는 자발성 기흉의 빈도와 이들의 임상적 특징과 동반 질환 및 예후에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 2003년 3월부터 2008년 2월까지 전남대학교병원 신생아 중환자실에 입원한 환아 중 자발성 기흉으로 진단된 총 22명에 대해 인구 역학적 특징과 산과적병력, 임상 소견, 동반된 질환, 치료 및 예후에 대해 의무기록지를 후향적으로 조사하였고, 특히 동반된 질환을 보기위해 신장 초음파와 두부 초음파 검사 결과를 검토하여 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 결 과 : 신생아 중환자실 입원 환아 중 자발성 기흉 환아는 0.55%였고, 총 22명 중 외부에서 이송된 환아가 5명(68.2%), 남아가 12명(54.5%)이었고, 흉벽 함몰과 빠른 호흡 및 청색증이 가장 흔한 증상이었다. 호발 부위는 우측이었고 모두 3일 이내에 진단되었다. 두부 초음파상 31.8%에서, 신장 초음파 상 18.2%에서 이상 소견이 보였다. 치료로 산소만 투여한 경우가 81.8%, 산소 치료 및 흉관 삽관술을 시행한 경우가 18.2%이었으며, 모두 생존하였고 예후는 좋았다. 결 론 : 건강하게 보이는 신생아에서 갑자기 호흡곤란 증상이 발생하면 일단 자발성 기흉을 의심해보아야 하고, 자발성 기흉의 예후는 좋지만 신요로계 기형 동반 가능성이 정상아보다 더 높고 뇌실내 출혈 위험이 있으므로, 두부 및 신장 초음파 검사를 실시하는 것이 환아 치료와 예후 개선에 도움이 될 것으로 사료되었다.