Daniel E. Holloway
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Northside Hospital Gwinnett complaint alleges excessive delivery traction before a newborn’s permanent nerve injury

The complaint alleges that an obstetrician mismanaged a shoulder dystocia during a delivery at Northside Hospital Gwinnett. Dr. Anna Gretchen Troxler’s notes describe standard release maneuvers and a posterior shoulder, but the filmed birth shows otherwise. The video instead shows an anterior shoulder and excessive, downward traction applied to the baby’s head. The complaint alleges that Category II fetal heart tracings and clear fluid left time for standard maneuvers instead of that traction. The newborn suffered a permanent brachial plexus injury, losing function in her right shoulder, arm, and hand.

System
Northside Hospital
Facility
Northside Hospital Gwinnett
Providers involved
Anna Gretchen Troxler, M.D. / The Women’s Group of Gwinnett, P.C. / Northside Hospital, Inc.
Pattern
Alleged excessive downward traction during a shoulder-dystocia delivery, shown on a birth video that contradicts the delivery notes
Harm
Alleged permanent brachial plexus nerve injury causing loss of function in the newborn’s arm and hand

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that excessive traction during a shoulder-dystocia delivery at Northside Hospital Gwinnett caused a newborn’s permanent nerve injury.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. The mother began prenatal care at The Women’s Group of Gwinnett, P.C. on September 25, 2019.
  2. At 38 weeks in February 2020, Dr. Anna Gretchen Troxler delivered the baby at Northside Hospital Gwinnett.
  3. Dr. Troxler’s notes describe a 90-minute second stage and a 90-second shoulder dystocia with a posterior right shoulder.
  4. The notes describe relieving it with gentle traction, repositioning, an episiotomy, a corkscrew maneuver, and extraction of the posterior arm.
  5. The birth video instead shows the shoulder was anterior, not posterior, and that Dr. Troxler applied excessive, downward traction to the baby’s head.
  6. The complaint alleges that fetal heart tracings were Category II and the amniotic fluid was clear, leaving time to perform standard maneuvers instead.
  7. The newborn sustained a severe brachial plexus injury causing loss of function in her right shoulder, arm, and hand.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • Dr. Troxler did not use standard shoulder-dystocia release techniques and instead applied excessive, downward traction to the baby’s brachial plexus nerves.
  • Her delivery notes did not match the birth video, which the complaint alleges shows the true position of the shoulder and the traction applied.
  • The complaint alleges that The Women’s Group of Gwinnett, P.C. is vicariously liable for Dr. Troxler’s conduct as her employer or apparent principal.
  • The complaint alleges that Northside Hospital, Inc. is vicariously liable for Dr. Troxler’s conduct on the same employment and apparent-agency theories.
  • The complaint pleads negligence and/or gross negligence against Dr. Troxler and vicarious liability against the practice and hospital. It attaches an expert affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.

Entities and tags

Northside Hospital GwinnettNorthside Hospital, Inc.The Women’s Group of Gwinnett, P.C.Anna Gretchen Troxler, M.D.Shoulder dystociaBrachial plexus injuryBirth injuryDocumentation failuresObstetricsGynecologyLabor and delivery