GP and A&E Failed to Diagnose Cauda Equina Syndrome

Patients who suffer from missed cauda equina syndrome often attend their GP and A&E department before a diagnosis is finally made.

If your cauda equina syndrome was missed by both a GP and a hospital, you could be entitled to claim compensation for the unnecessary harm you have experienced.

For more information on suing a GP and/or a hospital, please get in touch with our cauda equina lawyers today.

A&E missed cauda equina syndrome

Cauda equina syndrome is associated with worrying symptoms such as severe back and leg pain, urinary dysfunction and the loss of sensation around the buttocks, perineum and genitals.

These symptoms often prompt a patient to head straight for an A&E unit. In hospital, doctors should recognise the signs of cauda equina compression and arrange a timely MRI scan. But sadly this standard of care is not achieved and a patient is discharged with the wrong diagnosis – normally sciatica or generalised low back pain.

GP missed cauda equina syndrome

The nature of cauda equina syndrome means that the patient’s symptoms will continue to get worse. Even if he/she has already attended A&E, the patient may feel their symptoms are not normal and warrant an appointment with their GP.

But GPs frequently rely upon the expertise of A&E doctors. Therefore if a patient has recently been discharged by an A&E unit, their GP may be dismissive of their condition, instead trusting that the hospital has made the right decision.

Delayed diagnosis

Unfortunately this is a scenario we see all too often. An A&E department does not diagnose cauda equina syndrome, despite the patient reporting all the tell-tale symptoms. A patient then asks their GP for help, but the GP sees he/she previously attended hospital and assumes that no further action is needed.

Sometimes a patient will repeatedly attend A&E or their family doctor, only to be continuously discharged without the right diagnosis. This can be traumatic for a patient, who must endure extremely concerning symptoms without anyone taking them seriously.
When a diagnosis is finally made, it may be too late for surgery to be effective and the patient’s condition will be permanent.

Has this happened to you?

If you have suffered a poor outcome because medical practitioners failed to diagnose cauda equina syndrome, please get in touch with us today. You could be entitled to claim compensation for medical negligence.

Please call us free on 0800 234 3300, from a mobile click to call 01275 334030 or complete our Free Online Enquiry for a no cost, no obligation opinion.

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