Vacuum Extractor

Vacuum Extractor Birth Injury Attorneys In Cleveland

TRAUMATIC INJURY BY IMPROPER EXTRACTION

Vacuum extractors are devices that include a cup placed on the baby’s head and a suction device. Some extractors use a soft cup and some use a hard metal cup. Some use a hand pump to create the vacuum, while others use an electric compressor.

When labor is not progressing adequately, doctors sometimes choose to use a vacuum extractor to assist with the vaginal delivery. Like forceps, a delivery by vacuum extractor can be safe and effective in the hands of a trained and competent obstetrician. However, inexperienced, unpracticed, or hurried obstetricians, mistakes can happen with these devices which cause permanent injury to the child. If the vacuum extractor is used improperly or used in cases where an instrument-assisted delivery is ill-advised, the baby can suffer serious birth injuries or death.

Call The Becker Law Firm at (440) 252-4399 to discuss your case with our vacuum extraction injury attorneys in Ohio.

Safer, But Safe Enough?

There is controversy within the medical community as to whether vacuum extractors or forceps are a safer method of delivery. The indications for using vacuum extractors are identical to forceps use. When labor is prolonged or the baby is in distress, vacuum use may be warranted. The vacuum extractor should not be used when the baby is premature, cephalopelvic disproportion is a concern, or when the baby must be repositioned. Regardless, every year some babies suffer permanent brain damage or death due to vacuum extractor injuries.

When Vacuum Extractors Should Not be used

There are many instances in which a vacuum extractor delivery is inadvisable. For example, if the baby is less than 34 weeks old, if the cervix is inadequately dilated, if the baby must be rotated or repositioned, or if there are signs of fetal distress, doctors are cautioned against the use of a vacuum extractor.

Negligent management of vacuum extractors can result in subgaleal bleed (bleeding into the area between the scalp and the skull), hypovolemic shock, and brain damage in a newborn.

Common Vacuum Extractor Injuries

Injuries with the extractor can be caused by improper use or prolonged use (it is generally unsafe to attempt this method for more than 20 minutes). Sometimes, too much suction is applied, the cup is positioned incorrectly, or the vacuum is used when the baby is too far in the birth canal.

Common types of vacuum extractor birth injuries include:

Contact The Becker Law Firm today to get the legal support you and your baby need during this difficult time. We can review your case for free!

$13.5 Million Birth Injury
Becker Law Firm attorneys Michael Becker and David Skall obtained a jury verdict for $13.5 million in Akron, Ohio. The case involved a now 16- year-old boy who suffered a brain injury at the time of birth (specifically a watershed injury). The doctor held liable for causing ...
  • $3.76 Million Birth Injury
  • $4 Million Birth Injury
  • $3.14 Million Birth Injury
  • “Michael Becker helped us secure our daughter’s future needs. We will always be grateful for the impact he has had on our family.” - Kris Harmon, mother of Perri
  • “Mike represented us as if he was fighting for his own family member. I knew that my son was getting the best representation in Northeast Ohio.” - Knyesha Washington
  • “David handled our case professionally and really cared about my daughter and her outcome.” - Client

Contact an Experienced Attorney at The Becker Law Firm

If your doctor delivered your child using a vacuum extractor, your child may have sustained injury because of the vacuum. If your child has developmental delays, cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries, or had bleeding in the brain, contact our medical malpractice lawyers for a complimentary consultation. We can help you find out if your physician used the proper vacuum extractor techniques in the delivery of your child.

If you need to speak to a birth injury lawyer in Ohio, call our firm at (440) 252-4399 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.

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