Shoulder Dystocia - Complications

Complications

The major concern of shoulder dystocia is damage to the upper brachial plexus nerves. These supply the sensory and motor components of the shoulder, arm and hands. The aetiology of injury to the fetus is debated, but a probable mechanism is manual stretching of the nerves, which in itself can cause injury. Furthermore, excess tension may physically tear the nerve roots out from the neonatal spinal column, resulting in total dysfunction. The ventral roots (motor pathway) are most prone to injury, as they are in the plane of greatest tension (anterior, sensory nerves are somewhat protected due to the usual inward movement of the shoulder).

• Klumpke paralysis
• Erb's Palsy
• Fetal hypoxia
• Fetal death
• Cerebral palsy
• Maternal post partum hemorrhage