Repeated lumbar or ventricular punctures in newborns with intraventricular hemorrhage.

Although it has been possible to reduce the percentage of premature infants suffering intraventricular hemorrhage, posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus remains a serious problem without a good treatment. There is a high rate of cerebral palsy, and ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery makes the child permanently dependent on the valve and catheter system. Shunt surgery cannot be carried out early because of the blood in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the brain may be subjected to periods of raised pressure. Early tapping of CSF by lumbar puncture or ventricular tap was suggested as a way of temporarily reducing pressure and removing blood and protein and thereby avoiding permanent hydrocephalus.