Suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome, who you gonna call? Evaluating the impact of education and on-call support on referrals to A&E

Abstract

Purpose: Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) is an emergency diagnosis presenting with a myriad of different red flag symptoms of bladder and bowel dysfunction, saddle anaesthesia, bilateral radiculopathy, and/or sexual dysfunction. Diagnosis is clinically challenging and is only established with confirmatory radiological compression of the cauda equina nerves. Despite a level of disagreement in what constitutes CES, timely management of this condition in order to preserve the function of affected systems appears key.