“Our study aims to investigate the benefits of striving for an available emergency operating room versus waiting for a scheduled elective surgery. We found that patients outside the 24-hour time frame experienced a significant decrease in future neurological and functional recovery benefits,” states Dr. Min-Jie Yang, National Taiwan University.

What else did Dr. Min-Jie Yang say in the article: “Early decompressive surgery within 72 hours of admission maintains financial advantages for patients with spinal epidural abscess, as evidence by a retrospective study involving 130 cases” in Formosan Journal of Surgery. Vol. 57, Issue 1, 2024?

“Based on the findings, early surgical intervention within 24 hours of admission for patients with SEA leads to superior neurological and daily living function recovery. However, the beneficial effects diminish significantly as the time from admission to surgery increases. Nevertheless, there is a persistent positive impact on the financial aspect of treatment up to 72 hours after admission, making early surgical intervention still valuable for these patients.”

Read Dr. Yang’s article: https://journals.lww.com/fjs/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2024&issue=01000&article=00003&type=Fulltext

Dr. Greg Vigna, MD, JD, national neurological injury attorney, “Patients with epidural spinal abscess present to emergency departments or urgent care facilities with back pain or neck pain, with or without fever. Detailed history and physical examinations by doctors, physician assistance, and nurse practitioners is the most important aspect of diagnosis.”

Dr. Vigna concludes, “We are investigating cases of neurological loss from spinal epidural abscesses who were previously discharged from urgent care centers and emergency room departments without any diagnostic testing and delays in treatment after hospitalizations. These patients with neurological deficits must get to surgery for emergent decompression.”

Greg Vigna, MD, JD, is a national malpractice attorney and is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and is a Certified Life Care Planner. The Vigna Law Group along with Ben C. Martin, Esq., of the Martin Law Group, a Dallas Texas national pharmaceutical injury law firm, jointly prosecute hospital malpractice including delays in treatment of epidural abscess and sepsis.