DIAPHRAGM DISORDERS

Course overview

THE DIAPHRAGM IS A VITAL ORGAN FOR MAMMALS AS IT IS THE PRIMARY MUSCLE FOR RESPIRATION. DIAPHRAGMATIC PARALYSIS IS THE LOSS OF ITS MUSCULAR POWER AND CAN ARISE FROM EITHER WEAKNESS OF THE MUSCLE ITSELF OR DAMAGE TO ITS NERVE SUPPLY. DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE PARALYSIS AND WHETHER IT IS UNILATERAL OR BILATERAL, PATIENTS CAN HAVE VARIED CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS. A PATIENT MAY BE ASYMPTOMATIC, WHILE ANOTHER MAY BE VENTILATOR DEPENDENT. THIS ACTIVITY EXPLAINS HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR DIAPHRAGM DISORDERS, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.