Our Michigan birth injury lawyers handle cases involving shoulder dystocia injuries.  This can be a very serious condition and can affect a child throughout his or her lifetime.  There are occasions in which this injury could have been prevented and this can give rise to a child birth injury medical malpractice lawsuit.

Shoulder dystocia is a case of dystocia wherein the anterior shoulder of the newborn can’t pass the pubic symphysis after the delivery of the head, or needs considerable manipulation to pass the pubic symphysis. Shoulder dystocia is diagnosed only when the shoulders of the infant fail to deliver after the fetal head. In this condition, the chin presses against the perineum walls.

Signs of Shoulder Dystocia

Turtle sign is a commonly described feature, characterized by the appearance and retraction of fetal head that resembles a turtle withdrawing into the shell. The red puffy face indicating facial flushing is also a sign of this condition. This happens when the shoulder of the baby is stopped by maternal pelvis.

Procedures of Shoulder Dystocia

Several obstetrical measures are adopted in order to facilitate the delivery when this condition occurs:

• Suprapubic pressure
• McRoberts maneuver
• Application of pressure on the anterior shoulder, bringing the fetus in an oblique position with head towards vagina (also called the Rubin II maneuver)
• Wood’s screw maneuver (also called the opposite of Rubin II maneuver), causing the anterior shoulder to turn to the posterior and vice versa
• Barnum’s maneuver (also called Jacquemier’s maneuver, allowing the delivery of the posterior shoulder first; this enables the forearm and hand to be identified and pulled gently.
• Gaskin maneuver, involving the movement of the mother to all-fours position, causing the pelvic outlet to widen (named after Ina May Gaskin, Certified Professional Midwife)

Some measures are even more drastic; these include:

• Zavanelli’s maneuver; the fetal head is pushed back in by performing a cesarean section
• Intentional clavicular fracture, reducing the shoulder diameter and allowing it to pass across the birth canal
• Symphysiotomy, making the birth canal opening laxer by breaking the tissue between the pubes bones, allowing the shoulders to pass through.
• Hysterotomy that allows the delivery of the obstructed shoulder

Management of Shoulder Dystocia

For most obstetrical nursing units in North America, management of shoulder dystocia has now become a focus point. Various courses are offered to nurses wherein they perform routine drills to prevent any delivery complications for both mother and fetus.

Alarmer

This is a common treatment algorithm used in most health care facilities:

• A – ask for help
• L – leg hyperflexion
• A – anterior shoulder disimpaction
• R – rubin maneuver
• M – manual delivery of posterior arm
• E – episiotomy
• R – roll over on all fours

Complications of Shoulder Dystocia

The prime concern of shoulder dystocia is the upper brachial plexus nerves damage. Excess tension can tear the nerve roots, resulting in complete dysfunction of the fetus. The ventral roots are at greatest risk of injury as these endure the greatest tension.

Contact a Michigan Shoulder Dystocia Malpractice Lawyer

If an infant suffers shoulder dystocia due to medical negligence, it can give rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit.  Shoulder dystocia may affect a child socially, academically, and vocationally throughout childhood and even into adulthood.  The child may require physical therapy, medical procedures, and other services that can be a significant expense over the course of his or her lifetime.  These types of damage requests are included in a medical malpractice lawsuit filed for the condition of shoulder dystocia.

It is essential to contact our office as soon as possible so that we can obtain your child’s complete medical chart to determine whether there was negligence involved in the treatment.  There are strict time delays for filing medical malpractice lawsuits in Michigan so it is essential to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible to see if your child has valid case.

We are Michigan cerebral palsy lawyers who represent children and their families in birth injury lawsuits.   This includes cases involving issues in pregnancy, at the time of birth, and immediately after birth in which the newborn is injured due to medical negligence.  Cases are often filed  against obstetricians, gynecologists, pediatricians, hospitals, birthing units, and specialists.

These include cases involving:

• Pre-natal Injury
• Pre-term birth
• Asphyxia
• Cerebral palsy
• Shoulder dystocia
• Erb’s palsy
• Mental retardation
• Sepsis & Infections
• Anoxic brain injury
• Hypoxic brain injury
• Jaundice
• Hyperbilirubina
• Other birth injuries and birth trauma

We have the highest possible rating for skill and integrity in the legal profession and have a top record of successful settlements and verdicts in Michigan cerebral palsy lawsuits.

We choose to handle a small amount of cerebral palsy cases so that we can offer high-quality personalized service to our clients using experienced trial attorneys, not paralegals. This enables us to provide the best possible legal representation while maintaining excellent relationships with our clients.

We value our reputation for integrity and skill and enjoy an outstanding track record of success. We do not charge any legal fees unless we are able to obtain a recovery for you.

Michigan Cerebral Palsy Lawyer No Fee Promise

Our birth injury attorneys will represent you in your Michigan cerebral palsy case under our NO FEE PROMISE.  This means that you will not be charged any legal fees unless we obtain a settlement or recovery for you.  You have absolutely no obligation for legal fees unless we win your case.  If we do not obtain a settlement for you, you owe us nothing!

Contact Our Michigan Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Today

If your  child or a family member has suffered a birth injury and needs the best possible representation, you should contact our law office immediately.  We will advise you of your legal rights and start working on your case .

To speak with an experienced Michigan cerebral palsy lawyer,  call us  now at (800) 606-1717.