Copyright (c) 2010 Julie Glynn

Cauda Equina Syndrome can often be caused by medical negligence, usually during surgery. If this has happened to you and you want to find out why you have had such pain, and if there is anything that you can do about it, this article is designed to help you.

What Is Cauda Equina Syndrome?

Cauda Equina Syndrome is a narrowing of the spinal canal. The narrowing causes compression of the nerve roots below the spinal cord and this can cause significant pain and suffering for the patient.

What Are The Symptoms.

The symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome can include pain in one or both legs that often represents itself as numbness or tingling from the buttocks right down the back of the legs. It could also include numbness in the bowel area and in severe cases can also lead to bowel and bladder disturbance or sexual problems. Often it is only the onset of these later complications which alerts the patient to the possible existence of Cauda Equina syndrome. If you are experiencing severe low back pain, sciatica, bladder, bowel or sexual problems then you should immediately seek assistance and advice from a medical expert, particularly if you have recently undergone surgery.

Treatment.

The common form of treatment to relieve the spinal pressure is urgent surgery (some say within 48 hours), as if left untreated this can lead to long term complications from nerve damage. However, surgery to release the compression of the nerves can also lead to further damage and complications.

This is why it is vital that if you are showing any of the symptoms above you return back to the hospital as soon as possible.

What Should You Do If You Believe That You Have Been The Victim Of Medical Negligence?

If you believe that your Cauda Equina Syndrome was caused by surgery and that the staff failed to deal with your complaints about your pain and suffering leading to further complications you should seek urgent legal advice. It may be that further surgery is required to improve your pain and suffering.

If the further surgery has been undertaken and you have been left with permanent symptoms, you should again seek legal advice so that you can be fully advised of the options available to you. These could include claiming medical negligence compensation through the courts, or simply pursuing a complaint using the NHS Complaints Procedure.

A specialist medical negligence solicitor will be able to explain all of your options to you so that you can decide what, if anything, you would like to do.