[Accidents that can occur during fetal direct electro-cardiographic recording. Concerning a fracture of the scalp electrode (author's transl)].

The authors report a case of fracture of a double spiral scalp electrode. One of the two spirals stayed in the scalp tissue when the electrode was being removed. This spiral was localised by X-Rays and was removed under local anaesthetic. There were no complications. No similar case of such an accident has been reported in the literature and this is the first happening in our 2,472 cases of monitoring. Of the other serious complications which are mentioned in the literature, abscess of the scalp is the most frequent at 0.4 per cent (9). We have had no complications in 2,472 cases of monitoring. The outcome of such an abscess is usually quite benign, but there have been two cases of septicaemia followed by death reported. The complication of infection is serious and has to be treated carefully by disinfection. Two other complications have been noted and that is, tearing or ripping off a little of the scalp (2 cases in 2,472 monitorings). Spinal fluid leakage has been reported when an electrode was placed on a fontanelle and haemorrhage. Most of these complications took place when the clip electrodes which have now been abandoned were used and, their frequency being rare, does not invalidate the definite advantages of direct monitoring of the fetus in labour.