Clinical Negligence in Cauda Equina Syndrome Diagnosis and Care
Failings in the clinical care of cauda equina compression can destroy a patient's quality of life. Talk to a specialist solicitor if you think that you may have been the victim of negligence.
Managing a medical emergency
Cauda equina syndrome is a medical emergency with the capacity to render the patient utterly disabled. Medical professionals have a duty to provide scrupulous and timely care in order to give the patient he best possible chance of avoiding this appalling outcome.
Clinical negligence can be life changing but does occasionally occur. Prompt and knowledgeable attention is essential at every point of the cauda equina pathway and a failure to provide an acceptable level of care may result in severe disability and a costly claim for compensation.
They key stages in the management of this shocking condition involve suspected diagnosis and referral; MRI investigation and reporting; and timely surgery where necessary.
A delay at any of these points can allow time for the patient's nerve compression in the lumbar region of the spine to increase, ultimately causing permanent loss of nerve function.
Clinical pathway requirements and failings
If a medical professional suspects that their patient may be developing cauda equina syndrome, they should make a referral for an MRI scan. The symptoms of lower back pain and altered sensation in the legs, saddle area and urinary function may necessitate an emergency scan. A delay of a few days may prove devastating to the patient's long-term outcome and may justify a claim for compensation.
If a hospital does not have suitable provision for an emergency scan, they should ensure that the patient is transferred promptly to the nearest medical provision which can offer an MRI scan within the appropriate timeframe.
Once diagnosis of cauda equina compression is confirmed, surgery to decompress the nerve is required, often within a matter of hours rather than days. Again, a delay at this juncture may prove crucial and may render the patient disabled.
Speak to a legal specialist
A successful claim for compensation can be positively life-changing, helping the victim to cope with the wide-ranging complexities of their condition.
However, such claims are extremely complicated and require the expertise of specialists in this field.
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice with a team of experienced solicitors and a history of success in high-value claims.
Contact us today to speak with a solicitor, free of charge, about the possibility of making a claim.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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