Cerebral Perfusion, Oxygenation, Electrical Activity

The specific aim of the research proposal in preterm infants with IVH and PHH who require placement of an Omaya reservoir or a shunt is to determine if decreasing ventricular volume improves, middle cerebral artery flow, cerebral oxygenation, and cortical neuronal electrical activity. To accomplish this aim, we will simultaneously perform the following evaluations prior to shunt placement or prior to and after routine CSF aspiration from reservoir in: 1. middle cerebral artery velocity time integral and resistive index using Doppler ultrasonography 2. cerebral oxygenation using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) 3. background neuronal electrical activity using an EEG. In addition, we will measure serial CSF concentration of neuroproteins, S100B, GFAP, NSE, TGF-ß, and IL-6, as evidence of ongoing neuronal damage and correlate the concentration with cerebral perfusion and activity as measured above.