Spinal Abscess Medical Negligence?
The long-term impact of an untreated spinal abscess can be completely life-changing. If your life has been impacted by the effects of a misdiagnosed spinal abscess, you may wish to consider making a claim for compensation.
Spinal abscess management
If a spinal abscess is treated promptly, the patient may make a good recovery.
If, however, diagnosis and treatment are delayed, the patient may suffer a devastating long-term outcome. The longer the delay in treatment, the greater the risk to the patient's long-term health.
Nerve damage
A spinal abscess can cause the function of the nervous system, which passes along the spinal canal, to become compromised. Depending on the location and extent of the damage, the effects can be wide-ranging and destructive to the patient's long-term independence:
- Bowel function may be affected
- Bladder function may be lost
- Mobility may be reduced or lost completely
- Loss of upper limb use
The greater the degree of nerve dysfunction prior to surgery, the greater the long-term loss is likely to be, indicating that early diagnosis and treatment are fundamental to the patient's long-term well-being.
Sepsis
The presence of an abscess in the spine may also prompt the patient's body to develop a sepsis response, threatening the functioning of the patient's major organs.
In some cases, this may lead to the patient's death.
Long-term impact of spinal abscess complications
The impact on the patient's life of conditions such as nerve damage and sepsis can be both shocking and permanent.
For a patient who has lost their mobility and bowel continence, the possibility of returning to work must seem remote indeed. Many fields of employment would become unfeasible even where the individual affected was able to access the workplace.
The impact on a person's finances can be catastrophic at the same time as the demands on those finances are likely to increase. The patient may require care, they may need significant alterations to their accommodations or they may need to move to completely different accommodation in order to be able to function even remotely independently.
Driving or using public transport can be hugely problematic, partly due to restrictions in mobility but also due to the fear of suffering a bowel accident.
Socialising and personal relationships can suffer due to the stress associated with the sudden change in an individual's health and circumstances.
Diagnosis and referrals
The need for an accurate diagnosis as promptly as possible is abundantly clear. Any delay can be significant and detrimental.
Patient suffering with a spinal abscess are likely to be experiencing pain and exhibiting symptoms of an infection such as a high temperature. They may also be starting to experience signs of nerve dysfunction such weakness or loss of sensation in the legs.
The patient would need to undergo an MRI scan or possibly a CT scan to check for the cause of their symptoms.
A misdiagnosis, such as pneumonia, when the medical practitioner is uncertain risks causing a delay in accurate diagnosis and treatment. Suspecting the possibility of an abscess and opting to make an urgent referral for further investigation gives the patient the better chance of recovery.
Medical negligence
If a medical professional faced with the symptoms of a spinal abscess has failed to act appropriately on these symptoms, leaving the patient with long-term debilitating problems, it might be suitable to make a claim for compensation.
A failure to diagnose or to make a prompt referral might be regarded as substandard care.
Speak to a solicitor
If you or a loved one are suffering the appalling impact of a misdiagnosis or delayed treatment of a spinal abscess, contact Glynns to discuss your situation with a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
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