Abstract
Objective This article assesses whether routine, screening head ultrasound (HUS) studies performed
at 7 to 14 postnatal days for premature infants are followed by clinical interventions.
Study Design This retrospective cohort study included all inborn infants delivered at < 30 weeks'
gestational age (GA) between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015 at a single center
who had a routine, screening HUS performed between 7 and 14 postnatal days (n = 303). We defined “clinical intervention” as a 7 to 14 postnatal day HUS that was
followed by neurosurgical intervention prior to a 36- to 40-week postmenstrual age
(PMA) HUS or elective withdrawal of critical care within 30 days of a positive HUS
finding.
Results Four infants (1.3%) had neurosurgical intervention prior to a 36- to 40-week PMA
HUS; all four had a diagnostic HUS performed prior to postnatal day 7 to assess for
an intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) due to clinical instability. No infant had critical
care electively withdrawn following a 7 to 14 postnatal day HUS.
Conclusion Clinical intervention rarely followed routine, screening HUS studies performed at
7 to 14 postnatal days for inborn infants delivered at < 30 weeks' GA. In no case
did clinical intervention related to HUS results occur when a 7 to 14 postnatal day
HUS was the initial HUS performed.
Keywords
premature - head ultrasound - screening - intraventricular hemorrhage - intervention
