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Vitamins & Special Diets PVL; Brain injury - infants
Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a type of brain injury
that affects infants. The condition involves the death of small
areas of brain tissue around fluid-filled areas called
ventricles. The damage creates "holes" in the brain. "Leuko"
refers to the brain's white matter and "periventricular" refers
to the area around the ventricles. PVL is much more common in
premature infants than in full-term infants. A major cause is
thought to be changes in blood flow to the area around the
ventricles of the brain. This area is fragile and prone to
injury, especially before 32 weeks of gestation. 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
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