Misdiagnosed Cauda Equina Syndrome Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

Cauda Equina is a condition that occurs when the spinal nerve roots in the lumbar spinal canal become damaged. Damage to the cauda equina nerve roots can be caused by various medical conditions such as compression, usually from a herniated disc, infection, hematoma or bleeding, or injury from epidural steroid injections. If a doctor failed to diagnose your Cauda Equina, reach out to a Pittsburgh failure to diagnose cauda equina lawyer for help.

While symptoms may vary from person to person and by stage of diagnosis, there are very well-known “red flag” symptoms that all medical providers should be aware of. They include: saddle anesthesia, (which means decreased sensation anywhere in your legs or pelvic area that would touch a saddle if you were sitting on a horse), severe back pain, bladder or bowel dysfunction, leg pain or weakness.

Acute Cauda Equina Syndrome

Acute cauda equina syndrome is a medical emergency that requires urgent diagnosis and treatment to reverse or stop neurologic damage to the spinal nerve roots. That’s why all doctors should evaluate all back pain patients to rule out cauda equina syndrome. If cauda equina diagnosis is delayed or missed, it can lead to profound injury, including paralysis of the legs, uncontrollable bladder and bowel function, profound leg weakness, and sexual dysfunction.

If you have any of these “red flag” symptoms, you should undergo an emergent MRI as an MRI scan is the gold standard or most definitive test for confirming or eliminating cauda equina syndrome as a diagnosis. Time is of the essence in diagnosing and treating cauda equina. Early treatment leads to the highest probability of reversing the symptoms and avoiding permanent neurologic injury.

Contact Matzus Law Today

If you or a family member have been diagnosed with a cauda equina injury and believe there was a delay in diagnosing cauda equina, please contact our law firm, Matzus Law, LLC. We will perform a root cause analysis to determine if your cauda equina injury should have been diagnosed sooner.