Cauda equina syndrome can cause a variety of neurological problems in the lower body which can become lifelong if the condition is not treated as a matter of emergency.
What is neurological dysfunction?
Neurological dysfunction is when a part of the body reduces function or ceases to function not because there is a physical weakness in that limb or organ but because the instructions from the brain to the muscles do not arrive due to a problem with the nervous system.
The nervous system is a complex collection of nerves throughout the body which receive sensation from internal and external stimuli – such as light or heat, or the feeling of a full bladder – and pass this information on to the brain. The nerves also pass messages from the brain to muscles to initiate actions and responses, such as moving away from heat or emptying the bladder. A functioning nervous system is vital to a healthy and functioning body.
Neurological dysfunction due to CES
Compressed cauda equina nerves can cause a range of problems in the lower body.
- Loss of sexual sensation and function
- Loss of awareness of the need to urinate
- Loss of ability to control the emptying of the bladder
- Loss of sensation around the anus
- Loss of control of the bowel
- Weakness in the legs
- Loss of control of ankle reflexes
In combination, these symptoms can lead to a lifetime of disability and distress.
Diagnosis of cauda equina compression
Diagnosing that a patient may have compression of the cauda equina nerves at the optimum moment is crucial in ensuring the best possible chance of recovery of any function which has been lost up to that point.
It is thought that, if surgery is carried out before the patient loses all sensation in the bladder, they are most likely to recover function in the lower body.
Medical negligence
If diagnosis had been possible at that point and yet was missed by the relevant medical professional, the patient may be considered to have been the victim of medical negligence.
A delay in diagnosis and surgery leading to a deterioration in symptoms may well mean that the patient will suffer a far poorer outcome.
In these circumstances, it may be appropriate to consider making a claim for compensation.
The long-term symptoms of complete cauda equina syndrome can reduce an individual’s capacity to work and function independently and compensation may help to deal with the impact of this.
Contact us to talk to a specialist medical negligence solicitor with expertise in cauda equina syndrome compensation claims.