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1-888-760-7339
ANNE ARUNDEL
COUNTY
7310 Ritchie
Highway, Ste 910, Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061 (410) 760-7339
BALTIMORE CITY
Office Meeting Location
111 South Calvert Street Suite 2700 Baltimore, Maryland 21202
(410) 685-7339
BALTIMORE COUNTY
10451 Mill Run Circle Suite 400 Owings Mills, Maryland 21136
(410) 363-7339
HOWARD COUNTY
Office Meeting Location
10480 Little Patuxent Parkway Suite 400 Columbia, Maryland 21044
(410) 740-7339
PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY
6301 Ivy Lane Suite 700 Greenbelt, Maryland 20770 (301) 474-7339
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The Law Offices Of
KEITH BLAIR BARTNIK, P.A
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The Most Common Birth
Injuries
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Brachial plexus injury:
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. There
are four types of brachial plexus injuries:
Avulsion- the most severe type, in which
the nerve is torn from the spine.
Rupture- in which the nerve is torn but
not at the spinal attachment.
Neuroma- in which 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 or stretch- in which the
nerve has been damaged but not torn. Neuropraxia
is the most common type of brachial plexus
injury.
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Bruising/forceps marks:
Some babies may show signs of bruising on the
face or head simply as a result of the trauma of
passing though the birth canal and contact with
the mother's pelvic bones and tissues. Forceps
used with delivery can leave temporary marks or
bruises on the baby's face and head. Babies
delivered by vacuum extraction may have some
scalp bruising or a scalp laceration (cut).
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Caput succedaneum:
Caput succedaneum is a diffuse swelling
& bruising of the scalp in a newborn that occurs
when the head first enters the cervix during
birth. A caput succedaneum is caused by the
mechanical trauma of the initial portion of
scalp pushing through the initially narrow
cervix. The swelling may be on any portion of
the scalp, may cross the midline (as opposed to
a cephalhematoma) and may be discolored because
of slight bleeding in the area (bruising). The
swelling usually disappears in a few days
without problems.
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Facial paralysis:
Seventy-five per cent of cases of facial
paralysis in adults are caused by an
inflammation of the facial nerve called Bell's
palsy . This disorder (probably derived from a
virus) is common, affecting 25 out of 100,000
individuals per year. It is more common in
people with diabetes. It usually affects one
side of the face (very rarely both sides at one
time), causing a drooping mouth, drooling , and
excessive tearing from one eye. Paralysis occurs
within a few hours to a few days. There may also
be a loss of taste on the front of the tongue on
the affected side of the face. Sound may also
seem louder on the affected side (hyperacusis).
While the facial distortion usually improves
over time, there may be some permanent deformity
in 20% of individuals. Full recovery is less
likely in older people, as well as those with
hyperacusis, loss of taste, and severe
paralysis. Recurrence of paralysis on the same
side or the opposite side occurs in 1 in 10
people. In facial paralysis due to stroke , the
eye on the affected side can be closed and the
forehead can be wrinkled. This is not possible
with Bell's palsy. Other muscles on one side of
the body may also be involved with a stroke.
Facial paralysis due to a brain tumor generally
develops gradually with accompanying headaches,
seizures , or hearing loss. In newborns, facial
paralysis may result from birth trauma.
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Fractures:
The
severity of a fracture usually depends on the
force that caused the fracture. If the bone's
breaking point has been exceeded only slightly,
then the bone may crack rather than breaking all
the way through. If the force is extreme, such
as in an automobile collision or a gunshot, the
bone may shatter. If the bone breaks in such a
way that bone fragments stick out through the
skin or a wound penetrates down to the broken
bone, the fracture is called an "open" fracture.
This type of fracture is particularly serious
because once the skin is broken, infection in
both the wound and the bone can occur.
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Subconjunctival hemorrhage:
A subconjunctival hemorrhage is
the breakage of small blood vessels in the eyes
of a baby. One or both of the eyes may have a
bright red band around the iris. This is very
common and does not cause damage to the eyes.
The redness is usually absorbed in a week to ten
days.
For additional information please contact our firm.
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DISCLAIMER: Keith Blair
Bartnik, P.A.. has created this website to be informative, but you
should remember the contents are general in nature and not meant to
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