# Retained placental fragment after a c-sec?



## kungfumoose (Feb 8, 2006)

I had a C-sec on Sep. 3rd. (Tried a HB, ended in a Hospital transfer because of Preeclampsia)
I was noticing that my lochia had not gotten any lighter, and there were a lot of clots in it.
Last night, I just about had a heart attack, when to my horror, I passed a piece of placenta. It is about 1/4 inch thick, and about 2/3rds the size of my hand.

How common is it to have a piece of placenta left in after a c-sec? I mean, isn't that horribly negligent? (This OB also cut my baby girl's cheek with a scalpel when he was cutting my uterus open, the pediatrician says she will probably have a scar for life)

I thought it was practically impossible to have missed a piece during a c-sec.
I don't want to go to the doctor, but I am worried there might be more left in there. How likely is it that there is more? does anybody know?
Should I do something about this doctor?

grrr.....







I just not sure what to do.

~Moose


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## member234098 (Aug 3, 2002)

Get a PI attorney and sue for your dd's face. That is inexcuseable and preventable. You were not in a time pinch emergency - there was no reason for that ineptitude!

Get your records also and report him, and consult an attorney for the retained placenta; that is terrible malpractice especially in the case of a cesarian section. For G-d's sake, you are open with everything there for the ob to see; why he/she left it there is clear negligence and pure incompetence.

What a jerk. Report him to your national licensing board.


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## doctorjen (May 29, 2003)

I wouldn't be so fast to jump to malpractice as the only cause. Many physicians now deliver the placenta at cesarean birth only by cord traction and fundal massage, not sticking a hand into the uterus or pulling the uterus out onto the abdomen and looking inside. This is supposed to reduce the chance of infection, but if there is an accessory piece of placenta, it could be missed this way the same way it is in a vaginal birth, because all you have to go on is looking at the delivered placenta afterwards. If it appears complete, you don't go digging for more.
An ultrasound can usually tell if there is any remaining placental fragments.

Also, I have seen a couple babies accidentally cut at cesarean birth, especially if the membranes were already ruptured and the mama had been laboring prior to surgery. The lower uterine segment can be very thin, so that when the incision is made the baby is much closer than you think it is. Most docs try very hard to avoid this, but sometimes it happens and is a known complication of cesarean section.

Of course I wasn't there, maybe he was an ignorant jerk!


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## nznats (Jul 17, 2005)

I can only tell you my experience and that was a piece of placenta as big as my palm was left behind as well as other little bits. Luckily I was so intune with my body otherwise I could have died, because I caught it before it turned into a major infection.
I didnt think it was that common but apparently it is, which is weird because you would think they would have noticed the placenta was missing some!


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