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Periventricular leukomalacia

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Alternative Names:

PVL; Brain injury - infants

Definition:

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a type of brain injury in which small areas of brain tissue around fluid-filled areas (ventricles) of the brain die. The tissue death creates "holes" in the brain.

PVL is frequently associated with neurological and developmental problems in growing babies, usually during the first to second year of life.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

PVL is much more common in preterm infants than in term newborns. A major cause is thought to be poor blood flow to the area around the ventricles of the brain, which is fragile and prone to injury. Infection around the time of delivery may also play a role in causing PVL. The more premature your baby is, and the sicker your baby is, the higher the risk for PVL.

• Review Date: 10/23/2006
• Reviewed By: John Goldenring, MD, MPH, JD, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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