Referral from primary care musculoskeletal services to Accident and Emergency for suspected cauda equine syndrome
Cauda equine syndrome (CES) is a medical emergency, requiring immediate referral for investigation and early surgical decompression for a favourable outcome (1). Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (SHFT) musculoskeletal services manage suspected CES with immediate referral to accident and emergency (A&E) at the University of Southampton NHS Trust (UHS) where urgent imaging and surgical decompression can take place.
This evaluation aimed to describe the demographics and clinical features of referred patients, plus summarise the medical management and clinical outcome following A&E examination.