1/9. Prenatal pressure necrosis of the scalp.A case of full-thickness pressure necrosis of the scalp in a newborn is reported. This is a rare injury, with only four similar prior reports found in the literature. The presumed mechanism of injury is pressure of the infant's head against the mother's bony pelvis. A spectrum of injury can be seen, from temporary alopecia to complete scalp necrosis. risk factors include prolonged ruptured membranes and prolonged labor.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/9. Modified Zavanelli maneuver for the alleviation of shoulder dystocia.BACKGROUND: The Zavanelli maneuver has typically been instituted when conventional maneuvers have failed to alleviate shoulder dystocia. Previously reported cases involving the Zavanelli maneuver have described cephalic replacement followed by immediate cesarean delivery. CASE: We encountered a case in which, despite the McRoberts maneuver, suprapubic pressure, wood's corkscrew manuever, and attempted extraction of the posterior fetal arm, the baby could not be delivered. The fetal vertex was partially reinserted into the vagina, and this dislodged the impacted shoulders. With expulsive efforts the mother was then able to achieve vaginal delivery of a 3870 g female infant.CONCLUSION: The modified Zavanelli maneuver may be used to successfully alleviate shoulder dystocia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/9. Spiral fracture of the radius: an unusual case of shoulder dystocia-associated morbidity.BACKGROUND: The most common neonatal complications associated with shoulder dystocia include transient brachial plexus palsy, clavicular fracture, and humeral fracture. Fracture of the fetal radius has not been previously reported. CASE: We encountered a shoulder dystocia with the fetal head in the right occiput anterior position that necessitated the McRoberts maneuver, suprapubic pressure, the wood and Rubin maneuvers, and extraction of the posterior fetal arm to effect delivery. The 4610-g infant experienced a spiral fracture of the right (anterior) radius and a fracture of the left (posterior) midhumeral shaft. CONCLUSION: Neonatal radial fracture can result from shoulder dystocia or the maneuvers employed for the alleviation of the shoulder dystocia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/9. Diabetes, hypertension and birth injuries: a complex interrelationship.Seemingly coincidental occurrence of various pathological conditions may derive from common etiologic denominators. While reviewing 240 malpractice claims involving shoulder dystocia related fetal injuries, we found two antenatal complications in the background conspicuously often. Chronic or pregnancy induced hypertension was identifiable in 80 instances (33%). pregnancy induced or preexisting diabetes was diagnosed 48 times (20%). Many of these patients were poorly controlled. The blood pressure was usually checked during the antenatal visits. However, about one-half of all patients received no diabetic screening. Therefore, this study may underestimate the actual incidence of diabetes. It has been calculated that the frequency of diabetes in pregnancy and that of hypertension, is about 5% in the united states. Thus, the rates of these complications in this selected group of gravidas was severalfold higher than in the general population. Since hypertension causes retarded fetal growth, it cannot be a direct cause of arrest of the shoulders at delivery. The likely common denominator is maternal diabetes a known predisposing factor both for preeclampsia and shoulder dystocia at birth. In the course of litigations for fetal injuries, demonstration of the predisposing role of seemingly unrelated shortcomings of the medical management may profoundly influence the outcome. This principle is demonstrated by the presentation of an actual malpractice action which resulted in a substantial settlement.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/9. Temporary Erb-Duchenne palsy without shoulder dystocia or traction to the fetal head.BACKGROUND: Although many retrospective studies report that brachial plexus palsies occur after vaginal delivery in the absence of recorded shoulder dystocia, there are no known prospective reports by a treating clinician (pubmed, English language only, 1952-June 2004, search terms: shoulder dystocia, nonshoulder dystocia, obstetric brachial plexus injury, Erb's palsy, Erb-Duchenne palsy, spontaneous vaginal delivery). CASE: A multiparous patient presented with a birth plan requesting that the baby be allowed to deliver on its own, without traction on the head and without suctioning. Although induced at term for elevated blood pressure, the otherwise healthy patient experienced a normal labor with a 30-minute second stage. At delivery, which was videotaped by the father, the fetal head presented over an intact perineum in a right-occiput-anterior position. Without traction, the anterior shoulder delivered spontaneously with the next contraction and Valsalva, followed by the posterior shoulder. The trunk followed routinely. The average-weight for gestational age neonate exhibited an Erb-Duchenne palsy of the right (posterior) arm that resolved on the fourth day of life. CONCLUSION: Temporary Erb-Duchenne palsy can occur in the posterior arm after normal labor and spontaneous delivery without shoulder dystocia or traction on the fetal head.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/9. uterine rupture due to traumatic assisted fundal pressure.OBJECTIVE: uterine rupture is potentially a life-threatening condition for both mother and infant. In this article, we report a rare occurrence of uterine rupture due to traumatic assisted fundal pressure associated with hydrops fetalis and shoulder dystocia. CASE REPORT: A 29-year-old woman was admitted for termination of pregnancy at 34 weeks' gestation because of fetal hydrops. Assisted uterine fundal pressure was done during delivery because of coexistent shoulder dystocia. After a series of assisted uterine fundal pressure, a dead hydropic baby weighing 4,000 g was delivered, and persistent postpartum hemorrhage occurred. An emergency laparotomy was performed, which revealed a large left broad ligament hematoma with multiple bleeding points. The bleeders were safely sutured and the tears of the left lateral uterine wall were primarily restored. The patient was discharged 8 days later. CONCLUSION: Assisted fundal pressure during painful delivery can be traumatic and results in uterine rupture. In this article, we suggest that uterine rupture should be considered whenever a pregnant woman experiences a sudden onset of abdominal pain during the course of assisted uterine fundal pressure.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.5keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/9. brachial plexus palsy: an old problem revisited again. II. Cases in point.OBJECTIVES: In spite of mounting evidence to the contrary, plaintiffs' expert witnesses continue to maintain that brachial plexus impairment is almost always the result of excessive lateral traction on the head during the last phase of delivery. Case studies are presented to challenge this concept. STUDY DESIGN: Examples encountered in medicolegal consultations were analyzed with this purpose as our focus. RESULTS: Cases of brachial plexus impairment were encountered in which there was no evidence of shoulder dystocia or extreme lateral traction on the fetal head. In one in which shoulder dystocia was recorded, there was also incontrovertible evidence of intrauterine maladaptation. In another, the posterior shoulder was involved. CONCLUSION: To propose that shoulder dystocia with extreme lateral traction on the fetal head after its delivery is not a factor in some cases of brachial plexus impairment would be insupportable. Conversely, to maintain a posteriori that brachial plexus impairment in itself is evidence that such pressure must have been used is untenable.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/9. Obstetric maneuvers for shoulder dystocia and associated fetal morbidity.OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the fetal injury rate associated with shoulder dystocia and to determine whether there is a higher rate of brachial plexus injury or bone fracture when fetal manipulation techniques are required for delivery. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of 285 cases of shoulder dystocia that occurred between January 1991 and December 1995 was performed. The type, sequence, and combination of obstetric maneuvers used to relieve the shoulder dystocia were noted. These cases were divided into two groups, as follows: (1) those resolved with McRoberts' maneuver, suprapubic pressure, or proctoepisiotomy or a combination of these and (2) those that required the addition of direct fetal manipulative maneuvers (Woods, posterior arm, or Zavanelli). Fetal injury was defined as the occurrence of brachial plexus palsy, clavicular fracture, humeral fracture, or fetal death caused by asphyxial complications. RESULTS: The fetal injury rate was 24.9% (71/285), including 48 (16.8%) brachial plexus palsies, 27 (9.5%) clavicular fractures, and 12 (4.2%) humeral fractures. Sixteen infants had both nerve injury and bone fracture. Four (8.9%) brachial plexus palsies had documented persistence at 1 year of follow-up. One neonatal death occurred at age 3 months after an episode of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. The incidence of bone fracture was not higher when direct fetal manipulation was required: 21 of 127 (16.5%) versus 18 of 158 (11.4%), p = 0.21. The incidence of brachial plexus palsy was also similar in both groups (27/127 vs 21/158, p = 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Direct fetal manipulation techniques used to alleviate shoulder dystocia are not associated with an increased rate of bone fracture or brachial plexus injury.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/9. Lower thoracic spinal cord injury--a severe complication of shoulder dystocia.Fundal pressure as a maneuver for the relief of shoulder dystocia is associated with up to a 77% fetal injury rate. The usual injuries involve the brachial plexus or orthopedic injuries. We now report a severe lower thoracic spinal cord injury with permanent neurological injury when fundal pressure was applied in an attempt to relieve shoulder dystocia. shoulder dystocia occurred in a 28-year-old nulliparous woman. A series of manual maneuvers to include episiotomy extension, McRoberts, suprapubic pressure, Woods screw, and extraction of the posterior arm all failed to achieve delivery. During these maneuvers, but not coordinated with them, fundal pressure was applied by multiple individuals. The Zavanelli maneuver and cesarean delivery ultimately allowed delivery. On Day 2 of life marked decrease in lower extremity motor function, over-flow urinary incontinence, and rectal incontinence led to imaging studies that revealed focal spinal cord injury at T-9 through T-12. Compressive forces applied to the fetal spine during fundal pressure is the likely cause of the lower thoracic spinal cord injury manifest by this newborn.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.83333333333333keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |