If you have had cauda equina syndrome, your recovery will be directly influenced by the speed with which medical professionals diagnosed and treated your condition. If decompression surgery was performed in a timely fashion, you could go on to make a total recovery. But if there was a delay, long-term complications could ensue.
Recovering from cauda equina syndrome
Cauda equina syndrome is a medical emergency, meaning it must be treated immediately if serious problems are to be avoided. This is because the nerves at the bottom of the spinal cord are being compressed. The nerves are extremely sensitive, so when this happens they will quickly sustain an injury.
If the pressure being placed upon the nerves is alleviated at this point, the nerves will be able to make a recovery. However, if compression continues, the nerves will become increasingly damaged. Within a very short space of time the injury will be so severe that the root cells die, after which they cannot regenerate. This means the nerves will be permanently damaged and a recovery cannot be made, even if treatment is provided.
What is the prognosis for recovery?
The prognosis for recovery therefore depends upon the severity of the injury suffered by the cauda equina nerves.
If decompression surgery is performed while the condition is still incomplete – meaning the patient still has some bladder control – then the prognosis for recovery is good. There may be some underlying problems with back pain and urinating, although often these improve with time.
But if decompression is only performed once the condition has become complete – meaning the patient has no bladder control and painless urinary retention – the prognosis for recovery becomes much worse. This is because the nerves will be irreparably harmed and cannot regrow.
Sadly if cauda equina syndrome is not treated before the complete stage, the patient will be left with long-term complications. These include urinary dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, faecal incontinence and chronic back pain. Some will also have partial or total paralysis of the lower limbs.
Did medical error prevent your cauda equina recovery?
If your cauda equina syndrome was not treated in the early stages, preventing you from making a total recovery, you need to consider why this happened. If it is because medical professionals failed to make a timely diagnosis and provide emergency treatment, they could be held responsible for your current pain and suffering. This means you will be considered the innocent victim of medical negligence, for which you deserve to be compensated.
To find out more about claiming compensation, get in touch with us at the Cauda Equina Solicitors.