Brain 'wash out' may help premature babies

A technique that "washes out" the brain of severely ill premature babies can aid survival, a study suggests. Bleeding in the brain is one of the most feared complication for most premature babies, because it can lead to brain damage or death.

Bristol University study of 77 babies found a technique - the brain drain, while the introduction of new fluid - can reduce risk.

It is believed that the technique can take around 100 children a year.

The therapy, pioneered at Bristol's South mead Hospital, carried out over a couple of days, and requires careful monitoring to ensure that the pressure in the child's brain does not grow too high, researchers say. Experts have described the results as encouraging.

It would only be used on most premature babies with major bleeding, which causes brain and head to expand the total - a condition called hydrocephalus.

Standard therapy currently involves repeatedly to insert needles in the head and spine to remove accumulation of fluid in the course of a number of months before a shunt is inserted to drain fluid in the abdominal cavity.

But the study published in the journal Pediatrics, found the new treatment is called Operation was more effective.

Of the 39 children to receive treatment at the age of two 54% had died or were severely disabled, compared with 71% who received standard therapy. Pediatric neurosurgeon Ian poplars, one of the leading researchers, said he hoped that the technique will soon be used in the NHS.

"This is the first time that any treatment throughout the world have proven to benefit these very vulnerable children."

One of the first babies to be given treatment before the study took place, was nine-year-old Isaac Walker-Cox, from South Gloucestershire.

He got a 1% chance to survive because he was born 13 weeks premature.

His mother, Rebecca Walker-Cox, said that while he has mild paralysis on the left side of his body, he is living a normal childhood.

"Mentally, he has no problems at all, he has an above average reading age and is very good with computers. He just gets on with life and is an outgoing, happy little boy."

Andy Cole of Bliss, the premature baby charity, said: "This is a very interesting piece of new research, and we always welcome anything that has the potential to improve outcomes for sick and premature newborns.

"The initial results of this technique is encouraging and we look forward to seeing how these findings can be translated into treatments that could ensure better outcomes for these vulnerable children."