Kentucky medical malpractice attorney Steve Frederick has represented numerous children who sustained brachial plexus injuries because of a medical provider's negligence.

According to the National Institutes of Health:

"The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that conducts signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Brachial plexus injuries are caused by damage to those nerves. Symptoms may include a limp or paralyzed arm, lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist, and lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand. Although injuries can occur at any time, many brachial plexus injuries happen during birth: the baby's shoulders may become impacted during the birth process causing the brachial plexus nerves to stretch or tear."

The results of a brachial plexus injury can be devastating: a limp or paralyzed arm, lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist, and lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand.

There are four types of brachial plexus injuries:

avulsion	the most severe type, the nerve is torn from the spine;
rupture	the nerve is torn but not at the spinal attachment;
neuroma	the nerve has tried to heal itself but scar tissue has grown around the injury, putting pressure on the injured nerve and preventing the nerve from conducting signals to the muscles;
neuropraxia	"stretch injury", in which the nerve has been damaged but not torn. Neuropraxia is the most common type of brachial plexus injury.

Brachial plexus injuries often occur in conjunction with shoulder dystocia. "Dystocia" is a medical term which means an abnormal or difficult childbirth or labor. Shoulder dystocia is a complication whereby the shoulder of the infant cannot pass by the pubic symphysis.

There are risk factors for shoulder dystocia which doctors should take into account during the prenatal care period. If sufficient risk factors exist, a reasonable physician may recommend a cesarean section be performed to avoid shoulder dystocia. This is one method reasonable doctors use to avoid risk of injury to the baby or the mother.

When shoulder dystocia occurs, there are several steps that a reasonable doctor should take to attempt to dislodge the shoulder and deliver the baby. One thing a doctor should not do is to apply excessive traction to the fetal head, which often leads to brachial plexus injury. Further, a reasonable health care provider should not apply what is called "fundal pressure". This is where a health care provider pushes on the top of the mom's tummy. Although fundal pressure is often proper, when it is applied in the presence of a shoulder dystocia, studies have found it serves only to further impact the shoulder into the pubic symphysis.

If your child suffers from a brachial plexus injury and want to know whether the doctor or nurses contributed to the problem, please give us a call at 877-KYJUSTICE or contact us online.