If your cauda equina syndrome turned from incomplete to complete while you were a patient in hospital, the standard of care could be considered negligent.
This is because medical practitioners should be aware of the need to diagnose and treat cauda equina syndrome while it is still incomplete – meaning there is some bladder control.
Once cauda equina syndrome with retention happens, the outcome will be much less favourable and a patient will suffer long-term injuries.
Early treatment
A patient should be transferred to the neurosurgeons for decompression treatment before the advanced symptoms of cauda equina syndrome have developed. This will ensure the patient receives treatment before going into urinary retention, a sign of a more complete cauda equina syndrome.
The early treatment of a patient does of course depend upon medical practitioners making a timely diagnosis and arranging treatment upon an emergency basis. Sometimes this standard of care is not achieved – either due to a missed diagnosis or because medical practitioners simply do not act quickly enough.
But if there is an acceptable standard of care, it will mean that doctors recognise the symptoms of nerve compression and suspect cauda equina syndrome. An emergency MRI scan will be ordered and the results reviewed the same day. Once the imaging tests have confirmed compression, the patient will be transferred for surgery on an emergency basis.
Outcome of early treatment
If a patient receives surgery before developing advanced symptoms of cauda equina syndrome, there can be an excellent outcome with no bladder of bowel symptoms, minimal sacral nerve disturbance and no neuropathic pain.
Outcome of delayed treatment
However, if the patient’s condition is not addressed quickly enough, their symptoms will evolve. Shortly after cauda equina syndrome with urinary retention will develop – a clear indication that a patient has progressed to complete cauda equina syndrome.
Complete cauda equina syndrome is associated with a poor outcome because by that point the nerves will be severely damaged. Surgery should still be carried out, but there may be little improvement in the patient’s symptoms.
My cauda equina syndrome surgery was delayed
If your cauda equina syndrome was not treated quickly enough, meaning you developed complete cauda equina syndrome while in a hospital setting, you could be the victim of poor medical care. This could entitle you to claim compensation for the injuries you have wrongfully incurred.
For more information about medical compensation claims for cauda equina syndrome, please contact us today.