The cauda equina (from Latin horse’s tail) is a bundle of spinal nerves and spinal nerve rootlets, consisting of the second through fifth lumbar nerve pairs, the first through fifth sacral nerve pairs, and the coccygeal nerve, all of which arise from the lumbar enlargement and the conus medullaris of the spinal cord.Click to see full answer. Correspondingly, what are the first signs of cauda equina? Low back pain. Pain in one leg (unilateral) or both legs (bilateral) that starts in the buttocks and travels down the back of the thighs and legs (sciatica) Numbness in the groin or area of contact if sitting on a saddle (perineal or saddle paresthesia) Likewise, where is the cauda equina? At the base of the spinal column, near the first lumbar vertebra, is a collection of nerves called the cauda equina. They are called this because they resemble a horse’s tail. Just above the cauda equina, the spinal cord ends and it continues on as this collection of spinal nerves through the vertebral canal. Accordingly, what is the definition of cauda equina? The cauda equina is a descriptive Latin term referring to the bundle of nerve roots from the lumbar and sacral levels that branch off the bottom of the spinal cord like a “horse’s tail.” These individual nerve roots provide motor and sensory function to the legs and bladder.Is cauda equina syndrome life threatening?If left untreated, CES can lead to serious and irreversible damage, such as chronic incontinence and paralysis of the legs. For this reason, symptoms of CES warrant immediate medical attention and, in many cases, emergency surgery.
