Obstetrical trauma--therapeutic dilemmas?

Obstetrical trauma is frequent among newborns alive and could represent a cause of perinatal death. The aim of this paper consists of presenting the authors experience regarding the diagnosis and treatment of skeletal and thoracic-abdominal organs related to traumatic birth.

Between 2000 and 2010, 33 patients with trauma at birth were included in the study. The type of the lesion and the therapeutical approach and results were analyzed.

Two categories of results were clearly differentiated: excellent for obstetric trauma involving limbs and soft parts and negative, disappointing results with 10 deaths in 12 cases treated for obstetric trauma of abdominal organs.

Bone and soft tissue birth trauma are relatively easy to identify and treat, but the medical approach of thoraco-abdomnial organs birth trauma need clinical experience and technical possibilities.