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Brachial plexus injury: permanent disability
After concerning test results, a woman went to the hospital for induction of labor. During vaginal delivery, a shoulder dystocia was encountered. The baby was born within 60 seconds using the McRoberts maneuver and suprapubic pressure. The ObGyn charted mild shoulder dystocia.
The child has decreased mobility of his left arm. MRI studies and surgical findings confirmed brachial plexus rupture and avulsion at C5-C7. Despite nerve grafting, the child has a significant disability to his left arm and shoulder.
PARENT'S CLAIM: The ObGyn negligently applied excessive lateral traction, improperly used lateral traction as a maneuver, and instructed the mother to continuously push.
PHYSICIAN'S DEFENSE: Shoulder dystocia was properly diagnosed and resolved using standard maneuvers. Traction and pushing are needed during shoulder dystocia management to determine whether the maneuvers are successful. Brachial plexus injuries can occur because of the normal forces of labor and delivery.
VERDICT: An Illinois defense verdict was returned.
Mother claims PTSD after twin's stillbirth
Expecting twins, a 23-year-old woman at 33.5 weeks' gestation reported pain. The ObGyn noted that her cervix was 4-cm dilated, 1 twin was in breech position, and that labor had begun. He recommended that the patient go to the hospital for cesarean delivery but told her that she could go home, shower, and gather her belongings first. When the mother arrived at the hospital 2.5 hours later, the fetal heart-rate (FHR) monitor indicated that one twin's heart was not active. An emergency cesarean delivery was performed. One twin was safely born, but the other died.
PARENT'S CLAIM: The ObGyn failed to properly address the onset of labor. The twin died because of compression of the umbilical cord. If the mother had gone directly to the hospital, FHR abnormalities would have been apparent and timely intervention could have been taken.
The stillbirth caused the onset of severe emotional distress in the mother leading to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She had extensive counseling. Her psychologist reported that the patient also suffered from complex grief disorder.
PHYSICIAN'S DEFENSE: The ObGyn's actions did not cause the injury. The twins' hearts were monitored at the last prenatal examination and were normal. It was appropriate for the ObGyn to allow the patient to return home before going to the hospital; the situation was urgent but not emergent. The stillbirth resulted from chorioamnionitis, a microscopic condition that is difficult to detect. A pathologist confirmed the diagnosis after examining the placenta.
The extent of the patient's grief was contested. An expert psychiatrist reported that complex grief disorder is not a recognized medical condition, and that, upon his examination, the patient did not exhibit PTSD symptoms.
VERDICT: A New York defense verdict was returned.
These cases were selected by the editors of OBG Management from Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts, with permission of the editor, Lewis Laska (www.verdictslaska.com). The information available to the editors about the cases presented here is sometimes incomplete. Moreover, the cases may or may not have merit. Nevertheless, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation and are meant to illustrate nationwide variation in jury verdicts and awards.
Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@frontlinemedcom.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.
Brachial plexus injury: permanent disability
After concerning test results, a woman went to the hospital for induction of labor. During vaginal delivery, a shoulder dystocia was encountered. The baby was born within 60 seconds using the McRoberts maneuver and suprapubic pressure. The ObGyn charted mild shoulder dystocia.
The child has decreased mobility of his left arm. MRI studies and surgical findings confirmed brachial plexus rupture and avulsion at C5-C7. Despite nerve grafting, the child has a significant disability to his left arm and shoulder.
PARENT'S CLAIM: The ObGyn negligently applied excessive lateral traction, improperly used lateral traction as a maneuver, and instructed the mother to continuously push.
PHYSICIAN'S DEFENSE: Shoulder dystocia was properly diagnosed and resolved using standard maneuvers. Traction and pushing are needed during shoulder dystocia management to determine whether the maneuvers are successful. Brachial plexus injuries can occur because of the normal forces of labor and delivery.
VERDICT: An Illinois defense verdict was returned.
Mother claims PTSD after twin's stillbirth
Expecting twins, a 23-year-old woman at 33.5 weeks' gestation reported pain. The ObGyn noted that her cervix was 4-cm dilated, 1 twin was in breech position, and that labor had begun. He recommended that the patient go to the hospital for cesarean delivery but told her that she could go home, shower, and gather her belongings first. When the mother arrived at the hospital 2.5 hours later, the fetal heart-rate (FHR) monitor indicated that one twin's heart was not active. An emergency cesarean delivery was performed. One twin was safely born, but the other died.
PARENT'S CLAIM: The ObGyn failed to properly address the onset of labor. The twin died because of compression of the umbilical cord. If the mother had gone directly to the hospital, FHR abnormalities would have been apparent and timely intervention could have been taken.
The stillbirth caused the onset of severe emotional distress in the mother leading to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She had extensive counseling. Her psychologist reported that the patient also suffered from complex grief disorder.
PHYSICIAN'S DEFENSE: The ObGyn's actions did not cause the injury. The twins' hearts were monitored at the last prenatal examination and were normal. It was appropriate for the ObGyn to allow the patient to return home before going to the hospital; the situation was urgent but not emergent. The stillbirth resulted from chorioamnionitis, a microscopic condition that is difficult to detect. A pathologist confirmed the diagnosis after examining the placenta.
The extent of the patient's grief was contested. An expert psychiatrist reported that complex grief disorder is not a recognized medical condition, and that, upon his examination, the patient did not exhibit PTSD symptoms.
VERDICT: A New York defense verdict was returned.
These cases were selected by the editors of OBG Management from Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts, with permission of the editor, Lewis Laska (www.verdictslaska.com). The information available to the editors about the cases presented here is sometimes incomplete. Moreover, the cases may or may not have merit. Nevertheless, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation and are meant to illustrate nationwide variation in jury verdicts and awards.
Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@frontlinemedcom.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.
Brachial plexus injury: permanent disability
After concerning test results, a woman went to the hospital for induction of labor. During vaginal delivery, a shoulder dystocia was encountered. The baby was born within 60 seconds using the McRoberts maneuver and suprapubic pressure. The ObGyn charted mild shoulder dystocia.
The child has decreased mobility of his left arm. MRI studies and surgical findings confirmed brachial plexus rupture and avulsion at C5-C7. Despite nerve grafting, the child has a significant disability to his left arm and shoulder.
PARENT'S CLAIM: The ObGyn negligently applied excessive lateral traction, improperly used lateral traction as a maneuver, and instructed the mother to continuously push.
PHYSICIAN'S DEFENSE: Shoulder dystocia was properly diagnosed and resolved using standard maneuvers. Traction and pushing are needed during shoulder dystocia management to determine whether the maneuvers are successful. Brachial plexus injuries can occur because of the normal forces of labor and delivery.
VERDICT: An Illinois defense verdict was returned.
Mother claims PTSD after twin's stillbirth
Expecting twins, a 23-year-old woman at 33.5 weeks' gestation reported pain. The ObGyn noted that her cervix was 4-cm dilated, 1 twin was in breech position, and that labor had begun. He recommended that the patient go to the hospital for cesarean delivery but told her that she could go home, shower, and gather her belongings first. When the mother arrived at the hospital 2.5 hours later, the fetal heart-rate (FHR) monitor indicated that one twin's heart was not active. An emergency cesarean delivery was performed. One twin was safely born, but the other died.
PARENT'S CLAIM: The ObGyn failed to properly address the onset of labor. The twin died because of compression of the umbilical cord. If the mother had gone directly to the hospital, FHR abnormalities would have been apparent and timely intervention could have been taken.
The stillbirth caused the onset of severe emotional distress in the mother leading to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She had extensive counseling. Her psychologist reported that the patient also suffered from complex grief disorder.
PHYSICIAN'S DEFENSE: The ObGyn's actions did not cause the injury. The twins' hearts were monitored at the last prenatal examination and were normal. It was appropriate for the ObGyn to allow the patient to return home before going to the hospital; the situation was urgent but not emergent. The stillbirth resulted from chorioamnionitis, a microscopic condition that is difficult to detect. A pathologist confirmed the diagnosis after examining the placenta.
The extent of the patient's grief was contested. An expert psychiatrist reported that complex grief disorder is not a recognized medical condition, and that, upon his examination, the patient did not exhibit PTSD symptoms.
VERDICT: A New York defense verdict was returned.
These cases were selected by the editors of OBG Management from Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts, with permission of the editor, Lewis Laska (www.verdictslaska.com). The information available to the editors about the cases presented here is sometimes incomplete. Moreover, the cases may or may not have merit. Nevertheless, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation and are meant to illustrate nationwide variation in jury verdicts and awards.
Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@frontlinemedcom.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.