Avoidable birth injury complicated with limb gangrene: a reflection of an in-efficient health system

Abstract

Gangrene of the lower extremities in neonates is a rare event except in traumatic cases. When risk factors for trauma to the limb of the newborn exist, it is important to prevent such injuries and when they are inevitable, appropriate management of injuries should further prevent complications such as limb gangrene. This report describes a newborn whose birth was poorly managed and thereafter sustained traumatic unilateral lower limb gangrene from the management of femoral fracture at a traditional bone setting. This report aims to highlight the deficiencies in the Nigerian health system which permitted this unfortunate scenario.

Keywords

• birth injury
• lower limb gangrene
• neonatal femoral fracture
• unorthodox bone setting practices