Umbilical artery catheter position and intraventricular hemorrhage.

A historical cohort study was designed to examine high (T6-T11) versus low (L3-L5) umbilical artery catheter (UAC) positioning as a risk factor for subependymal/intraventricular hemorrhage (SEH/IVH) in very low birthweight infants. High and low UAC groups were similar for mode of delivery, severity of pulmonary disease, weight, gestation, Apgar scores, and air leak. Seventeen of 36 infants with high UACs and 6 of 44 infants with low UACs developed SEH/IVH. The incidence (P less than .001) and severity (P less than .01) of SEH/IVH was significantly greater in the high UAC positioning group. Retrograde arterial flow with or without embolization to the cerebral circulation from high UAC positioning is suggested as a possible cause for the association between high UAC positioning and SEH/IVH.