Developing a spinal haematoma after spinal surgery is extremely rare but it can and does happen. A post-operative haematoma is internal bleeding from ruptured blood vessels around the spinal cord. If the injury is not spotted and treated, it can cause irreparable damage including paralysis if the spinal cord is compressed.
Fast treatment of a spinal haematoma is essential in order to avoid permanent and irreversible neurological damage. Treatment consists of immediate surgical drainage which involves excavating the haematoma, a further surgical procedure in itself.
If you believe health professionals failed to diagnose and treat your spinal haematoma before irreparable damage occurred, then you may be able to claim compensation.
Symptoms of a post-operative spinal haematoma
Due to compression on the spinal cord, a post-operative haematoma can result in a number of neurological symptoms similar to other spinal cord injuries.
Symptoms may include:
- Pain
- Weakness in limbs
- Numbness
- Difficulty walking
- Loss of bowel and/or bladder control
- Paralysis
Symptoms that occur from a spinal hematoma require immediate neurosurgical evaluation. Without treatment, permanent loss of neurologic function or paralysis may occur.
Post-operative spinal haematoma compensation
If you believe there was a delay in identifying your spinal haematoma or a delay in undertaking essential surgery which has resulted in a spinal cord injury, then you should contact us to see if you have a potential claim.
Occasionally it may also have been negligent for the haematoma to have developed in the first instance. This can happen when there is a failure to cease anticoagulant and NSAIDs medication to decrease the risk of developing a haematoma or bleeding during surgery. Or there may have been a surgical error which resulted in a haematoma developing. If you believe either of these instances may have occurred then you should contact us so we can advise you further.
At Aspire Law we specialise solely in spinal-cord injury claims and have an extensive medical negligence department that includes people who have dual qualification and are medically trained. We represent several clients who developed post-operative haematomas which were not identified and treated quickly enough resulting in irreversible paralysis.
Talk with our solicitors
To discover more about making a spinal cord injury compensation claim related to a post-operative haematoma, call us today on 0800 030 20 40 or contact us online and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.