Mr Damian Fahy 2017-10-11 Person 5 5 0

Mr Fahy reviewed me for strong back pain that I had been experiencing for months without seeking help, hoping that it would resolve. He examined me and quickly arranged a same day MRI. The MRI showed a very large disc herniation that was compressing the cauda equina. Mr Fahy immediately called me out of hours upon receiving the MRI results despite it being the night before Easter weekend, calmly and helpfully explained to me the symptoms and risks of cauda equina syndrome and that the sensible course of action would be surgery the following week but that if anything worsened over the weekend to inform him. Over the weekend I lost feeling in my saddle area and between the legs and started developing other cauda equina symptoms. I called the hospital on Easter Sunday and Mr Fahy promptly called me back and arranged to operate on me that same evening, luckily resulting in immediate pain relief and me getting feeling back in the lower part of my body. I feel lucky and grateful for his quick actions. As someone who has suffered from cauda equina syndrome I believe the review above implying that Mr Fahy was suggesting unnecessary surgery and making unnecessary comments about possible incontinence is unfair. Certainly in my situation I was extremely grateful for his quick actions and for educating me about cauda equina (plus the need for urgent surgery was reinforced by another well respected Surgeon) and would not have wanted to leave it to chance through rest. I am grateful to Mr Fahy for his quick actions and excellent advice and surgery, and think it is important that more people are aware of the symptoms and risks of cauda equina syndrome as I certainly had no idea about it initially.