Have You Been Diagnosed With Cauda Equina Syndrome?

If you have been diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome, you will want to know what the condition is, how it should be treated, and whether or not medical error has contributed towards your symptoms.

What is Cauda Equina Syndrome?

Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) refers to the compression of the nerve roots below the level of the conus medullaris (the conical end of the spinal cord). These nerve roots serve the motor and sensory function to the lower limbs, pelvic and sexual organs and to the perineum.

CES is caused the compression of these nerve roots, most commonly by a slipped disc, fracture of the spine, abscess, tumour or traumatic accident. Whatever the underlying cause, compression will result in a characteristic pattern of neuromuscular, urogenital and rectal symptoms. And while there is no universally accepted definition of Cauda Equina Syndrome, it is generally taken to be the presence of low back pain, sciatica in one or both legs, saddle anaesthesia, motor weakness in the legs, reduced sensation of bladder fullness, rectal and urinary incontinence and loss of sexual function.

Treating Cauda Equina Syndrome

The time of onset of CES is generally taken to be the time that symptoms materialise. This will usually involve signs of disturbed urinary, rectal and perineal function. Such problems are an obvious indication of nerve damage, and doctors should be quick to recognise the possibility of nerve compression.

Doctors should also appreciate that nerve compression requires immediate treatment; therefore making a firm diagnosis should be considered a matter of urgency. A physical examination, blood and urine tests and an MRI scan must all be performed without delay to obtain an accurate diagnosis. If there is any suspicion that the cauda equina nerves are compressed, emergency surgery must be performed without delay.

What if doctors delay treatment for CES?

If doctors do delay in treating CES - either because they fail to make a timely diagnosis or because they fail to realise the need for urgent treatment - the consequences will be devastating. This is because if the nerves are compressed for too long, they will sustain such an extensive injury that they cannot be repaired. Treatment will therefore prove ineffective and a patient will face a life-time of dysfunction.

If this does happen, the patient concerned will be considered the victim of medical negligence. Indeed, in delaying treatment, medical professionals will have provided a substandard level of medical care. If this results in further injury, the patient will be legally entitled to compensation for the pain, suffering and financial loss wrongfully incurred.

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