Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 2, 2026

Methods for In Vivo Biomechanical Testing on Brachial Plexus in Neonatal Piglets
Published on: December 19, 2019
Obstetric brachial plexus palsy: a population-based retrospective case-control study and medicolegal considerations
Simona Zaami1, Francesco Paolo Busardò1, Fabrizio Signore2
1a Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences , Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Aims:
The aim of this study was to examine 24 cases of obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP) in 41,002 deliveries occurred at San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital in Rome, during the period 2000-2012.
Materials And Methods:
A population-based retrospective case-control study was designed and the database of the hospital was searched; for each case, maternal and fetal records were examined and some risk factors were evaluated.
Results:
A statistically significant association between the 24 cases OBPP and the following risk factors: primiparity (p < .014), birth weight (p < .002), maternal age (p < .02), diabetes (p < .03) and shoulder dystocia (p < .003) was found, moreover all the OBPP cases were recorded only in vaginal deliveries.
Conclusions:
The absence of OBPP cases in cesarean deliveries highlighted in this study supports the option of proposing an elective cesarean in the presence of known risk factors after a full disclosure with the mother of risks and benefits in order to obtain a valid consent. Furthermore, when cases of OBPP occur, communication between the physician and the parents of newborns is crucial and it may represent a valid risk-management tool to reduce malpractice lawsuits.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Spinal Nerves: Plexus I
The Cervical Plexus
The cervical plexus, formed by the anterior rami of the first four...
Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(one-step method)
Prepare for the Procedure:
Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation

