title: High cervical spinal cord injury in neonates delivered with forceps: report of 15 cases.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Mannitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Menticoglou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perlman
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Manning
mesh_terms: D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009333:Neck; D009772:Obstetrical Forceps / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology*