[Morphological characteristics of a substantia alba lesion of the cerebral hemispheres in newborn infants with periventricular leukomalacia and sepsis].

Neurohistological and electron microscopy studies of the foci of periventricular leukomalacia allowed defining 3 stages in their development: necrosis, resorption and formation of the glial cicatrix or a cyst. Comparative study of the lesions in two groups of neonates (with and without sepsis) showed that sepsis promoted the process persistence and development of new pathological foci. One of the possible pathogenetic mechanisms might be the thrombosis of brain white substance vessels.