Medical Malpractice After Spinal Epidural Abscess

An epidural abscess is an often misdiagnosed, potentially life-threatening medical condition that must be detected and treated immediately or there could be dire consequences. An epidural abscess is inflammation between the dura, which is the outer membrane covering the brain and spinal cord, and the bones of the skull or spine.

Medscape describes the two types of epidural abscess:

• Spinal epidural abscess (SEA)
• Intracranial epidural abscess (IEA)

If a spinal epidural abscess goes undiagnosed and untreated, it could compress the spinal cord which could cause pain, paralysis and even death. It is estimated that about half the cases of spinal epidural abscess are misdiagnosed or have a delayed diagnosis.

What causes a spinal epidural abscess?

An epidural abscess is a result of a bacterial infection that might have started elsewhere in the body, and then spread through the bloodstream. The following types of infections could be the source of the abscess:

• Ear infection
• Chronic sinusitis
• Head injury
• Mastoiditis (infection of the mastoid bone if the skull after an ear infection)
• Recent neurosurgery
• Back surgery
• Bloodstream infection
• Bone infections

(MedlinePlus)

Injecting drugs can also increase the risk of developing an SEA or IEA. If a doctor misses the diagnosis the patient may end up paralyzed. In some cases, the patient could die as a result.

Making a claim for medical malpractice in South Carolina?

If a doctor fails to diagnose your medical condition before it progresses and causes further injury, you may be able to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit.

If you were to bring a medical malpractice case against the medical professional, your attorney would investigate the case, and they would work with a medical professional in the same field of specialty who would testify as to how the physician’s actions failed to meet the acceptable standard of care.

An example of a preventable medical error that could cause a physician to misdiagnose an epidural abscess would be if they failed to perform a CT scan or MRI to find the abscess. Once the abscess is located, it would need to be drained and the patient would receive intravenous antibiotics.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury because of negligent medical care, our attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC can help you obtain the justice and compensation you deserve. We handle complex cases and are committed to delivering results on your behalf. To set up a free consultation with a South Carolina medical malpractice lawyer from our team, complete our contact form or simply call us today at 803-327-7800.