Greetings,
Paralyzed diaphragm after open heart surgery is not common, but we hear about it. First, you need to know what makes the diaphragm work. And that is the Phrenic nerve. Its actually 2 very long nerves that start at the base of the brain, run down both sides of the neck, then down each side of the heart, into the thorax, and onto the diaphragm. There are several things that can cause conductive distruption of the phrenic nerve. The most common being trauma. This would be due to an inadvertant cut along the nerve. In most cases, this is perminant damage. Some other causes are vasculitis. another cause is from cold trauma. During open heart surgery, they will sometimes make the operating room VERY cold or even pour ice chips on the heart to slow down the beating. Over time, this can resolve.
In the meantime, I would advise seeing a pulmonologist to rule out any infections. Keep working on lung excercises like coughing and deep breathing. Also, diaphragmatic breathing is VERY important. If you dont know how to do this, lay flat on a bed and place a small book on your belly. When you inhale, make the book rise. When you exhale, make the ball fall. Try and keep your chest perfectly still. This type of breathing feels VERY akward and you may feel like you're not getting a deep enough breath. This is perfectly normal. With this excercise, you are stretching and excercising the diaphragm and expanding ONLY the lower portios of your lungs. THIS IS EXTREMEMLY IMPORTANT in diaphragmatic rehabilitation.
Do this is much as possible...
BEst of luck and keep us posted!
Andy, RRT, CPFT
The phrenic nerve makes the diaphragm move so that the lungs can fill with air and empty. Diaphragmatic paralysis is a condition where this nerve is not working properly. In many instances the cause is never found. It can occur on its own. It can follow surgery, like you had to replace your tricuspid valve on 4/1/04. During the surgery the nerve may have been irritated or cut or damaged. If the nerve was just irritated by the surgery, over time your diaphragm may get better. The improvement that you have noticed may continue for 6 months after the surgery. After this time has passed then you will know if your diaphragm will be
Yes I had open heart surgery in Jan, now I have a paralized diaphram, Is there any recourse that I have with my Doctor?
Thanks, Tubby