Symptoms of Loss of Sphincter Function
- Back & Buttock or leg pain BUT WITH disturbance of sphincter function (difficulty passing water, dribbling urine, faecal incontinence) & loss of sensation in the perineum (around anus & buttock cleft & vagina)
- Low Back pain & buttock pain
| Presentation | Diagnosis; | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid onset of sometimes transient back & leg pain with urinary overflow & incontinence | Cauda Equina Syndrome – commonly large disc protrusion or sudden nerve root compression or alteration in nerve root blood supply | EMERGENCY decompression & discectomy with laminectomy & posterior fusion within 8 hours often with residual neurological deficit |
