High cervical spinal cord injury in neonates delivered with forceps: report of 15 cases.
OBJECTIVE
To inform obstetricians of a serious complication of forceps rotations of 90 degrees or more--high cervical spinal cord injury in neonates.


METHODS
We reviewed the obstetric aspects of 15 cases of high cervical spinal cord birth injury diagnosed during 1982-1994 at two tertiary-care children's hospitals in Canada.


RESULTS
The common feature in all cases was a forceps cephalic delivery, almost always a rotation of 90 degrees or more from the occipitoposterior or occipitotransverse position.


CONCLUSIONS
High cervical spinal cord injury in neonates is a rare but specific complication of forceps rotation.
Menticoglou
S M
SM
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Mannitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Perlman
M
M
Manning
F A
FA
D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009333:Neck; D009772:Obstetrical Forceps / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology*