Abstract
Purpose : To evaluate our treatment of premature babies less than 1, 500 grams. Methods : Sixteen neonates (11 male, 5 female) weighing less than 1, 500g at birth treated in our hospital between 1989 and 1998 were reviewed. Results : Eleven of them were very low birth weight (VLBW) babies and 5 were extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies. Mean birth weights was 1, 144g (ranged from 668 grams to 1, 456 grams) and mean preterm period was 30 weeks 3 days (from 24 weeks to 39 weeks). There were 7 babies with gastric anomalies, 4 with meconium plug syndrome, 2 with NEC, 1 with CDH, 1 with gastric rupture, and 1 with congenital lung cysts. One baby had trisomy 18. Surgery was performed in 6 of the VLBW babies and all 5 ELBW babies. Of the five ELBW babies, 2 died from DIC after surgery and 2 died of intra-ventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and DIC two months after surgery. Survival rates were 91% and 20% respectively. Conclusion : In the treatment of ELBW babies with surgical disorders, more intensive care is required to prevent IVH and DIC due to NEC postoperatively.
