Maryland Attorney for Surgery for Birth Injuries

After going through a long pregnancy and a painful delivery, it is almost impossible to imagine watching your small and delicate infant going through a surgical procedure. Unfortunately, many infants suffer birth injuries that require immediate surgery to save their lives or improve their quality of life. When the birth injury was the result of negligence on the part of the obstetrician or another medical professional, the thought of surgery is even more heartbreaking.

The attorneys and staff at Rice, Murtha & Psoras are well acquainted with the variety of medical mistakes that often result in serious birth injuries. When those injuries require surgery, the emotional anguish parents go through increases. Contact our Maryland attorney for surgery for birth injuries if your child suffered an injury before, during, or after delivery. Call (410) 694-7291 to schedule a free appointment to review your options

Is Surgery for Infant Birth Injuries in Maryland Normal?

A wide variety of birth-related injuries could occur before, during, or just after delivery. In some instances of severe injuries, surgery is necessary to increase the infant’s odds of survival. In other cases, surgery could determine whether a child will have full use of a damaged limb.
Often, the causes of injuries that require surgery are not foreseeable. However, in some instances, surgery is needed because of the negligent conduct or decisions on the part of an obstetrician or an attending nurse.

Some common injuries that require a newborn to undergo surgery include serious brachial plexus injuries, brain hemorrhaging, and fractures of the skull. Often, these injuries are created by, or exacerbated by, a physician applying excessive force on the baby in an attempt to assist the birth.

Common Causes for Emergency Surgeries Performed on Maryland Infants at Birth

Depending on the type and severity of the birth injury, surgery might be required immediately to save the life of the infant. A surgical procedure might also be necessary in the near future to improve the quality of life of the baby.

Brain and Head Injuries

One of the most common reasons infants undergo surgery soon after birth is a severe head or brain trauma, such as a skull fracture or a brain hemorrhage. A ruptured blood vessel and bleeding in the brain places excessive pressure on the infant’s brain, possibly causing permanent brain damage. This type of injury is often caused by the misuse of surgical instruments, such as forceps or a vacuum extractor, when assisting a difficult delivery.

Any brain surgery is delicate. A surgeon might use a CT scan before surgery to get a clearer picture of the injury the infant sustained. Typically, if an imaging device is used on a baby, a surgeon will administer ultrasonography, which is more precise than a CT scan. Some types of brain and head surgeries include craniotomy drainage and surgical decompression, debridement, or evacuation.

Eby’s Palsy or Klumpke’s Palsy

When an infant suffers a brachial plexus injury, the nerve complex around the baby’s shoulder is damaged. Depending on the exact area and severity of the injury, an infant could experience weakness in their arm and hand, to paralysis of the limb. Eby’s palsy typically affects the entire arm while Klumpke’s palsy is limited to the hand or forearm. While these types of injuries could naturally occur during birth, they are often the result of a medical mistake during delivery. When too much force is placed on an infant’s neck or shoulder, the baby could suffer a brachial plexus injury.

While surgery is generally the last option a doctor will turn to for an infant, the seriousness of the injury could render it necessary. Surgery on the nerves typically does not fully restore normal function, especially if the procedure is performed months or years after the birth. However, it still provides an opportunity for the child to have greater use of the affected limb than if the surgery was not performed.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a condition that interrupts communication between the infant’s brain and the rest of their body. Typical symptoms of cerebral palsy include involuntary muscle spasms and difficulty in controlling groups of muscles. Often, cerebral palsy is the result of a birth injury due to the negligent conduct of the doctor performing the delivery. A common surgery performed to help alleviate symptoms of cerebral palsy is selective dorsal rhizotomy. This procedure reduces spasms in the child’s legs by stimulating the sensory nerve fibers.

Can I Sue if My Infant Required Surgery for Avoidable Birth Injuries in Maryland?

In some unfortunate cases, a child will require surgery because of an unavoidable birth complication. However, when the birth injury is the direct result of a doctor’s negligence or inattentiveness, you are entitled to seek financial compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Your doctor owes you and your child a standard of care that is the same level of care a reasonable and similarly trained physician would provide under the same circumstances. If your obstetrician or the medical staff deviated from the appropriate level of care, their conduct could constitute negligence.
Through the use of medical evidence and expert testimony, our Maryland birth injury attorneys will work to prove that your doctor failed to adhere to the appropriate standard of care, causing your child’s birth injury. You should be compensated for any additional expenses arising from any necessary surgeries or other require healthcare. Additionally, people in Maryland can recover for their emotional and mental distress. Our experienced medical malpractice attorney will help you calculate your compensation and fight for your right to recover.

Contact Maryland Attorney Randolph Rice for a Free Consultation About Suing for Surgery for Birth Injuries

Childbirth has many inherent risks to both the child and the mother. When serious birth complications arise, surgery might be required to protect the health and life of the infant. When the birth injury is the result of negligent conduct on the part of your doctor or medical staff, they should be held responsible for any harm they caused. If your child experienced an injury during birth, contact our Maryland attorney for surgery for birth injuries. To schedule a free consultation, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.