Bleeding within the brain affects may babies who are born preterm and often leads to physical and intellectual disabilities in later childhood. A new treatment (DRIFT) has been devised to help affected babies. We are investigating the impact on vision of IVH itself and of the DRIFT treatment. 

CACH Team: Cathy Williams, Karen Luyt, Pete Blair

The DRIFT10 study has been set up to examine the effects of surgical drainage, irrigation and fibrinolytic therapy (DRIFT) in preterm infants with post-haemorrhagic ventricular dilatation, focusing on brain function and structure at school age.

DRIFT was developed as a method of washing out the ventricles in the brain to clear the effects of bleeding.  The DRIFT randomised trial was conducted in 2003-2006.  The aim of the DRIFT10 study is to compare cognitive function, visual function, sensorimotor ability and emotional well-being between the children in the two treatment groups from the DRIFT trial at school age. The vision strand also aims to compare visual outcomes at age 10-11 years, of moderate vs severe haemorrhage in infancy.