Scan negative cauda equina syndrome – what to do when there is no neurosurgical cause – our new article out in @PracticalNeurol. Thread 1/
Suspected Cauda Equina syndrome is a common emergency presentations, typically presenting to emergency care with new bladder/bowel/sexual dysfunction, saddle numbness +/- lower limb neurological problems. 2/
Cauda equina syndrome is a surgical emergency caused by compression of the cauda equina nerve roots. It can cause long term bladder, bowel & sexual dysfunction. Emergency medics & surgeons look carefully for it.1/12
But most of the scans done looking for cauda equina syndrome are normal or non-explanatory- 81% mean over 18 studies in pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32059184/. So what’s wrong with all the other people?
