Prevention of Intraventricular Hæmorrhage in Babies Receiving Artificial Ventilation

The incidence of intraventricular hæmorrhage was compared in 2 consecutive groups of newborn babies who required assisted ventilation. Prophylactic treatment with a concentrate of coagulation factors, dictated by frequent monitoring for coagulation deficiencies, significantly reduced the incidence, judged by combined clinical and postmortem criteria, from 33% in 33 untreated babies to 13% in 45 who were treated. Hyaline membrane disease was the main diagnosis in both groups. Further trials are recommended.