Making complex language easier to understand
Medical records and expert reports can be full of technical terms that feel overwhelming, especially when you are dealing with trauma and uncertainty.
At Lanser Sutherland Inc., part of our role is to translate this language into clear, practical explanations so that you understand:
- What happened medically,
- Why it matters legally, and
- How it affects your case going forward.
Below we explain some of the medical terms that frequently arise in birth injury, surgical, ICU and spinal cases.
These explanations are for information only and are not a substitute for medical advice.
Birth and newborn brain injury
These terms often arise in obstetric and neonatal cases, especially where a baby has suffered brain injury around the time of birth.
Hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE)
A form of brain injury in a baby caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain around the time of birth.
Neonatal encephalopathy
A condition where a full-term or near full-term baby (35 weeks or more) shows signs of brain dysfunction in the first week of life, such as being unusually drowsy or unresponsive, having seizures, trouble breathing, and reduced muscle tone and reflexes.
Cerebral palsy
A long-term movement and posture disorder due to early brain injury, often present from birth or early infancy.
Foetal distress
Signs before or during labour that the baby is not coping well, often because of a lack of oxygen.
Cardiotocograph (CTG)
A monitor that records the baby’s heart rate in conjunction with the mother’s uterine contractions during pregnancy and labour.
APGAR scores
A quick scoring system used at 1,5 and (sometimes) 10 minutes after birth to assess a newborn’s breathing, heart rate, colour, muscle tone and response.
Labour complications causing nerve injury
These terms commonly arise in shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injury cases.
Shoulder dystocia
An obstetric emergency where the baby’s shoulders get stuck after the head has been delivered.
Brachial plexus injury / Erb’s palsy
Nerve injury in the shoulder region causing weakness or paralysis of the arm.
Pre-eclampsia / eclampsia
Pregnancy-related conditions with high blood pressure, protein in the urine and, in eclampsia, seizures.
Infection, sepsis and ICU complications
These terms are often seen in ICU cases and high-risk surgical matters.
Sepsis / septic shock
A severe, body-wide reaction to infection that can lead to organ failure and dangerously low blood pressure.
Hypotension / severe hypotensive episode
Abnormally low blood pressure that can threaten blood supply to organs and the brain.
Hypertension
Persistently high blood pressure that increases the risk of stroke and other complications.
Intra-operative monitoring (blood pressure, oxygen saturation, etc.)
Continuous monitoring of vital signs such as blood pressure and oxygen levels during surgery and anaesthesia.
Blood clots: DVT, PE and VTE
Blood clots are a major focus in many orthopaedic, surgical and immobilisation cases.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE)
A blood clot in a vein that may move and block blood vessels in the lungs.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
A blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg.
Pulmonary embolism (PE)
A blood clot that has travelled to and blocked arteries in the lungs.
Spinal and nerve-related injuries
These terms are central in spinal surgery, cauda equina and neurosurgical matters.
Cauda equina syndrome
Serious compression of the nerves at the base of the spine causing bladder, bowel and leg symptoms.
Spinal cord compression
Pressure on the spinal cord that can cause pain, weakness, numbness and loss of function.
Spinal decompression surgery
An operation to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves.
Orthopaedic fixation (rods, screws, plates)
Surgical hardware used to stabilise broken or weakened bones.
Anaesthesia and theatre-related terms
Anaesthetic and theatre complications often feature in medico-legal investigations.
High spinal (complication of spinal anaesthetic)
Excessive spread of spinal anaesthetic causing very low blood pressure and breathing difficulties.
Post-operative haemorrhage
Significant bleeding after surgery, sometimes requiring urgent treatment or a second operation.
Theatre notes / anaesthetic chart
Records of what happened during surgery and anaesthesia, including drugs, doses and vital signs.
Abdominal surgery and bowel complications
These terms are often seen in general surgery and abdominal cases.
Perforated viscus (e.g. perforated duodenal ulcer, perforated bowel)
A hole in a hollow organ (like the stomach or bowel) causing leakage into the abdominal cavity.
Adhesions and bowel obstruction
Bands of scar tissue that can cause the intestines to kink or block.
Medical records and documentation
Hospital / clinical records
The written records of a patient’s treatment and care at a healthcare facility, including notes, results and reports.
Radiology images (MRI, CT, X-ray)
Medical images taken to help diagnose and monitor conditions.
Nursing notes
Notes made by nurses recording observations, care and changes in the patient’s condition.
Adverse event reports / incident reports
Internal reports documenting unexpected or harmful events during medical care.
Why do these terms matter legally?
Understanding these medical concepts helps us to:
- Reconstruct what happened in theatre, labour ward or ICU.
- Compare the care that was given with what reasonably competent medical practitioners / nursing practitioners should have done.
- Link the medical event to the damage suffered – the heart of causation in a negligence claim.
We know that for most clients, these words come with fear, grief or anger attached. Our commitment is to walk through them with you slowly, clearly and compassionately, and to show you how they fit into the bigger legal picture.