UNILATERAL DIAPHRAGMATIC PARALYSIS

Course overview

UNILATERAL DIAPHRAGMATIC PARALYSIS IS A CONDITION CAUSED WHEN ONE SIDE OF THE DIAPHRAGM BECOMES WEAK OR PARALYZED. DIAPHRAGM PARALYSIS CAN BE UNILATERAL OR BILATERAL; HOWEVER, UNILATERAL PARALYSIS IS MORE COMMON. UNILATERAL DIAPHRAGMATIC PARALYSIS IS A CONDITION IN WHICH EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE OF THE DIAPHRAGM LOSES THE ABILITY TO CONTRACT TO ALLOW PROPER INSPIRATION. THIS CAN RESULT FROM MUSCULAR ISSUES IN THE DIAPHRAGM OR LOSS OF INNERVATION FROM THE PHRENIC NERVE TO THE HEMIDIAPHRAGM. THERE ARE MANY POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THIS CONDITION, AND SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS CAN RANGE FROM ASYMPTOMATIC TO RESPIRATORY FAILURE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF UNILATERAL DIAPHRAGMATIC PARALYSIS AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, MANAGING, AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.