Our client, Archie* was born with signs of a tethered spinal cord that the midwife missed, causing lasting damage.
A tethered spinal cord isn’t caused by medical negligence, but sometimes important signs can be missed. When Archie was born, the midwife carried out the usual check of his back to look for any dimples or unusual marks along his spine. Most dimples are harmless, but sometimes they can be a sign of something more serious, like a tethered spinal cord, and need to be checked further.
Missed signs of tethered spinal cord
In Archie’s case, a midline dimple was noticed, but nothing was done, and a second dimple wasn’t spotted at all. He was sent home, and his parents were told there was nothing to worry about. Around eight months old, Archie started having recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). He also had other infections, and the family noticed he was developing weakness in his left foot. Despite these worrying signs, it wasn’t until he was three years old that he was finally referred to paediatric specialists.
Diagnosis and surgery
An MRI scan revealed Archie had a tethered spinal cord. He had surgery to untether the cord, but sadly, the delay meant permanent damage had already happened. His bladder was affected, causing incontinence, and he had nerve damage in his leg, which made walking harder.
What could have been
If the second dimple had been noticed at birth, Archie would have been referred for further checks straight away. An early MRI and closer monitoring could have meant surgery happened sooner, preventing much of the lasting damage to his bladder and leg.
How Enable Law helped
Enable Law is supporting Archie and his family to get the help and funding they need. This includes home adaptations, specialist therapies, equipment, extra care, and educational support. While no amount of money can undo what happened, it can give Archie the support he needs to live as full a life as possible.
At Enable Law, we have decades of experience supporting people who have suffered injury because of the actions or negligence of medical professionals. If you have concerns about the care you or one of your loved ones have received, we are here to help. All initial conversations are free with no obligation and aim to help you understand what may have happened. To have a free, confidential discussion with a member of our dedicated team call us today on 0800 044 8488 or fill in our contact form so we can get in touch with you at a time convenient for you.
