United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Is there anyone out there that knows that it was the posterior arm that was injured? My daughter's injury occured on the arm that was closest to my tailbone and not on the pelvic bone(anterior). When I went to TCH they told me that it was rare to see the posteior arm injured. Matter of fact, they told me (one of the MD's) that she hadn't seen one yet. So I am wanting to get some info from others on how in the world this happened to this particular arm. Any info is appreciated and I am curious as to how many are out there. thanks Laura and Addy

Laura, The drs. reports on the delivery for a dear friend of mine, Vivian, says that her sons injured arm was the posterior arm. The interesting thing though is that the nurses notes say it was the anterior arm. The question arose: Did the dr. just write that in his report to make it harder to prove negligence because the posterior arm injury is so so rare. Was there any family members in the room that could remember which way the baby was facing when delivered?
God bless. ~~Joann

There is one maneuver that is used often when trying to deliver a baby with a shoulder dystocia complication. It is called the Woods Screw Maneuver. The baby is 'screwed' one way and then the other. What if the doctor screwed just one way and then applied excessive traction? What would seem after the fact to be the posterior arm might really be the anterior arm because the nurse doing the notetaking knew that the baby was ROA or LOA but didn't take note that the baby was Woods'd only one way during that maneuver.

If you can get a copy of James O'Leary's most recent edition (2000) of Shoulder Dystocia you will find mention made of the posterior arm issue. If you look in the apendices in the back of the book, there are updates/recent findings on this topic. I think it is Robert Allen (biomechanical engineer) who explains the posterior arm issue. He is deposed in a number of bpi cases to explain the amount of force needed to cause damage.

It's funny that you mention the "woods screw manuever". The last "step" he took was the woods screw manuever. I only know that my husband was postive that she was facing him when she was finally delvered. Do you think that James O'leary book could be found at Barnes and Noble or would I need to look on-line? I am very confused on what exactly happened. I keep trying to figure it out and I only wish I had eyes "down there". Thanks for all your input

Laura and Addy

To order O'Leary's Shoulder Dystocia book, you have to e-mail Elizabeth O'Leary. I think her e-mail is veeoleary@aol.com. I'll double check; it's on the Ohio Erb's Palsy website along with other useful books: http://members.aol.com/kritz74433

veeoleary@msn.net is the correct e-mail address for Elizabeth O'Leary. You can ask her the price and how to order the book.

All i can say is Thank You !!!!!!! I will e-mail her tonite.