If you have had cauda equina syndrome and your condition has been made worse by the actions of the surgical team, you need to talk to a solicitor about the care you received.
Medical care for cauda equina syndrome
It is very likely that a patient with cauda equina syndrome will be under the care of various medical teams during the course of their diagnosis and treatment.
For example, a patient may first attend a GP or emergency on-call service, and may then be referred to A&E. In A&E, the attending medical practitioner may enlist the help of the radiology department, after which he/she should be referred to the admitting team. Finally, the admitting team should refer the care of a patient to the surgical team, which must then arrange urgent surgical decompression.
Surgical care for cauda equina syndrome
Cauda equina syndrome is a medical emergency. This means that each medical team must act with urgency to ensure that a patient reaches the operating theatre as quickly as possible.
Due to the number of medical teams involved, problems can occur at any stage, resulting in a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Many would suspect that by the time a patient is placed under the care of the surgical team, a diagnosis has been achieved and the correct treatment will be carried out.
However, it is possible that the surgical team will fail to provide an acceptable standard of care. For instance, there may be a:
- Delay in investigation
- Delay in getting a patient to theatre
- Lack of surgical experience
- Poor surgical technique
- Failure to observe post-operatively
- Failure to re-investigate
What can you do?
When a cauda equina patient receives a substandard level of surgical care, the consequences can be very troubling. This is because cauda equina syndrome must be treated within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, otherwise a patient will sustain permanent neurological injuries of a life-changing nature.
If you have been harmed because of poor surgical care, you need to discuss your options with a solicitor, as you could be entitled to claim compensation. Although this will not undo the damages you have incurred, it will enable access to justice, and will ensure you are financially provided for in the years to come.
Contact us today
To find out more about claiming compensation for cauda equina syndrome, please get in touch with us today.