Successful Use of Thrombolysis in an Extremely Low Birth Weight, Premature Infant With Aortic Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Severe neonatal aortic thrombosis is rare but can lead to significant morbidity or death if inadequately treated. Thrombolytic therapy is indicated for thrombi which are life-threatening, organ-threatening, or limb-threatening, but dosing consensus has not been established. OBSERVATION: We report a case of a 700 g preterm neonate with spontaneous intestinal perforation who developed an occlusive aortic thrombus with signs of limb ischemia. He was treated successfully with tissue plasminogen activator without hemorrhagic complications. He was started at a dose of 0.06 mg/kg/h and received a maximum dose of 0.3 mg/kg/h. Long-term follow-up at 3 years and 3 months showed no negative sequelae. CONCLUSION: Alteplase may be considered in premature, extremely low-birth weight infants with careful assessment of risk and benefits, along with frequent surveillance and supportive care.