Poor Medical Care Of Cauda Equina Syndrome

Cauda Equina Syndrome can lead to serious neurological complications if not diagnosed and treated in the early stages. It is therefore absolutely vital medical professionals provide, at the very least, an acceptable standard of care. If they fail to do so and a patient suffers irreparable injury as a result, there could be grounds for a medical negligence claim.

Acceptable standards of care for Cauda Equina Syndrome

Cauda Equina Syndrome is when the bundle of nerves at the end of the spinal cord – known as the cauda equina – becomes compressed. There are various ways in which this can happen; examples may include a traumatic accident, an inflammatory condition, a spinal tumour, a herniated disc or an infection.

But no matter what the underlying cause happens to be, the effect will be the same. Namely, the nerves will begin to suffer damage, quickly leading to neurological symptoms such as lower back pain, sciatica, urinary disturbances, bowel dysfunction, genital and saddle numbness and loss of rectal tone. The longer compression continues, the more widespread the damage will be. If compression persists for too long (around 48 hours or more) the damage will be so extensive that the injury will be irreparable.

To ensure a patient is not left with permanent complications medical professionals must act quickly and competently, drawing upon their skill and expertise to provide an acceptable level of medical care. This will involve:-

• Recognising the red flag symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome as soon as a patient presents;
• Promptly performing and arranging further tests to confirm or rule out suspected diagnosis of CES. This should include a physical examination and an MRI scan;
• Correctly analysing test results to make an accurate diagnosis;
• Arranging and performing emergency decompression surgery;
• Organising post-operative rehabilitation.

Common causes of substandard medical care

If medical professionals fail to follow the course of action as described above, the care provided will have fallen to a substandard level. This will often occur because:-

• GPs do not recognise the urgency of ‘red flag’ symptoms;
• Junior A&E staff miss the diagnosis and do not call a senior doctor;
• There are delays in admitting a patient to a surgical unit;
• An MRI scan and surgery are not arranged in a timely fashion;
• There is a failure to warn of persistent neurological symptoms in the preoperative consent form;
• There are deficiencies in aftercare and multi-disciplinary rehabilitation.

Should a substandard level of medical care cause a patient to suffer an injury that could otherwise have been avoided, there will be grounds for a medical negligence claim.

Have you been affected by poor medical care?

If you have suffered Cauda Equina Syndrome and your condition was adversely affected because of poor medical care, you need to speak to a solicitor as soon as possible, as you could be entitled to compensation.

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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