What Are Injuries and Side Effects of Negligent Vacuum Extraction?

Doctors are often faced with difficult choices during the labor and delivery process. Not only must they act with care, but at the same time, they may also take somewhat dramatic steps to protect the health of the mother and child. In rare instances, the doctor may determine that they need additional help in delivering the baby, which stops short of a full cesarean section procedure. Here, they may use vacuum extraction instead, which could lead to serious dangers both because the doctor does not execute the procedure properly, and because they could have never allowed it to happen in the first place. If your baby has suffered a birth injury, your family may be entitled to substantial financial compensation.

When Does a Doctor Use Vacuum Extraction?

In some cases, the mother may be having a difficult delivery that stretches past a point where it may be safe for the child. When that happens, the doctor has several options for how they choose to deliver the baby. In some cases, they may use a tool known as a vacuum. Here, they would attach a suction cup to the baby’s head while the mother is undergoing contractions. At the same time, a doctor or nurse would pull the baby out of the mother.

The use of vacuum extraction is relatively rare. The procedure is relied upon in roughly one out of every 40 deliveries. There is a reason why vacuum extraction is uncommon. It can be a very dangerous procedure, and it can cause serious and lasting injuries to the child.

Injuries From Vacuum Extraction

The child can be injured through the use of the vacuum extraction or from the fact that labor and delivery have stretched on past the point where it was safe for the baby. Common injuries from vacuum extraction include:

 

• Cerebral Palsy: When there is trauma to a baby’s brain during delivery, they can suffer permanent brain damage. Cerebral palsy can result from trauma to the brain, and it can cause trouble with balance and movement, as well as developmental delays.
• Subdural Hemorrhages: Trauma can cause bleeding, and the blood can pool under the brain. Excessive bleeding for a prolonged period of time can result in the death of brain tissue.
• Skull Fractures: The pressure on the head can cause a break in the skull. This injury could heal at some point, but a skull fracture could also cause brain damage.
• Erb’s Palsy: When the doctor is pulling the baby out using the vacuum, they could damage the nerves that run through the shoulder, causing weakness in the baby’s arm and a reduced range of motion.
• Fetal Stroke: A vacuum extraction may even cause a momentary cutoff of oxygen to the baby, which could cause a serious stroke.

The mother’s health is also at risk from a vacuum extraction. A mother may suffer from bleeding, tears, and even possibly uterine ruptures that could place her health in danger and potentially keep her from having more children in the future.

How Is Careless Vacuum Extraction Considered Medical Malpractice?

The use of vacuum extraction can be medical malpractice in several ways. First, a doctor who has used reasonable care may not have even allowed the situation to progress to a point where they needed to use vacuum extraction to deliver the baby. They could have determined that a cesarean section was necessary before a difficult delivery reached that point. Then, the doctor could have also committed malpractice in the way they used the extraction tool. In either event, you would need to prove that an average doctor of ordinary training would not have acted in the way that this medical professional did in causing your baby’s injuries to be eligible for financial compensation.

Contact the Belleville Birth Injury Lawyers at The Cates Law Firm Today for Help With Your Case

If you or your baby has been injured by the careless actions of a doctor, reach out to the Belleville birth injury lawyers at The Cates Law Firm. Our birth injury lawyers are standing by and ready to assist you. For a free consultation, contact us online or call 618-277-3644. With our office located in Swansea, Illinois, we proudly serve clients in St. Louis, Belleville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Granite City, Waterloo, Chester, Carbondale, St. Clair County, Madison County, Monroe County, Randolph County, and other regions throughout Southern Illinois.