Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) is a rare condition affecting the human lumbar system when the bundle of nerves located at the bottom of the spinal cord (called the Cauda Equina) become compressed.
Common causes of CES include violent back injuries, birth abnormalities, post-operative spinal surgery complications, lumbar disc herniation and epidural complications.
In the U.S., it is estimated that 1-3% of patients who have undergone or are undergoing lumbar surgery are due to complications of CES. Other studies estimate that CES occurs in one out of every 33,000 individuals to one out of every 100,000.
Diagnosis of Cauda Equina Syndrome should be considered a medical emergency requiring immediate surgical decompression of the nerve tissue. Patients can face severe consequences if not immediately treated and suffer long-term effects, including urinary incontinence, loss of bowel control, sexual dysfunction and even permanent paralysis.
Lisa S. Levine, P.A., is a Florida medical malpractice attorney who...
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