Local Law Firms Home > Medical Malpractice > Erb's Palsy > Nerve Damage > Protracted Second Level of Labor Erb’s palsy, a kind of paralysis caused by traumatic injury to the upper brachial plexus, occurs most commonly as a product of forcible traction during childbirth, resulting in injury to one or more cervical nerve roots. The signs of Erb's palsy include loss of sensation in the arm and paralysis and atrophy of the deltoid, the biceps, and the brachialis muscles. The affected arm hangs loosely with the elbow extended and the forearm pronated. The brachial plexus, a system of nerves that are connected to the spinal cord is a network that sends messages from the spinal cord to the limbs, and is responsible for the function of theses limbs.
In many cases, the onset of Erb’s palsy could be avoided if a proper delivery were able to be carried out, to ensure the newborn child is born healthy and abnormality free. However, in some cases, a doctor during the prenatal process is required to inform expectant mothers of potential labor risks associated with any condition they may have. These conditions, such as an expectant mother in the protracted second level of labor, are crucial to providing a safe delivery for the child, which decreases the risk for injuries that result in conditions such as Erb’s palsy. When this is the case, a doctor or medical professional may be held responsible for not bringing to the attention of the mother of the baby any risks that may arise during childbirth because of health conditions they may have such as an already seemingly difficult delivery. Did you know? There are two types of paralysis in Erb’s Palsy. They are partial and total and both affect only the arm. |