PHRENIC NERVE INJURY

Course overview

THE PHRENIC NERVE IS AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT NERVES IN THE BODY DUE TO ITS ROLE IN RESPIRATION. THE PHRENIC NERVE PROVIDES THE PRIMARY MOTOR SUPPLY TO THE DIAPHRAGM, THE MAJOR RESPIRATORY MUSCLE. PHRENIC NERVE INJURY, SUCH AS MAY OCCUR FROM CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY, CAN LEAD TO DIAPHRAGMATIC PARALYSIS OR DYSFUNCTION. THE PRESENTATION OF PHRENIC NERVE INJURY IS NON-SPECIFIC, AND THE DIAGNOSIS MAY EASILY BE MISSED. PHRENIC NERVE INJURY CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY A NUMBER OF IMAGING MODALITIES INCLUDING ULTRASOUND, ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, AND FLUOROSCOPY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF PHRENIC NERVE INJURIES AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.