BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is the primary surgical treatment for lung cancer. A significant factor affecting postoperative recovery is prolonged air leak (PAL). Despite numerous clinical strategies could prevent and manage postoperative PAL, its incidence remains high. Phrenic nerve cryotherapy (PNC) temporarily inhibits phrenic nerve function, causing diaphragm elevation, which reduces thoracic cavity volume, enhances pleural apposition, and mitigates air leakage. This study investigates the efficacy of PNC in preventing postoperative PAL during VATS lobectomy. METHODS: A total of 108 eligible lung cancer patients who underwent surgery at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, from June 2023 to January 2025, were enrolled and randomly assigned to the control group (n=54) and the experimental group (n=54). The patients in both the two groups received VATS lobectomy and systematic lymph node dissection, with the experimental group also undergoing PNC during the operation. The baseline characteristics, intraoperative, postoperative indicators and dynamic changes in air leakage between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The baseline clinical characteristics were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of pulmonary air leakage at 24 h after surgery (31.5% vs 29.6%) and the incidence of postoperative PAL (20.4% vs 14.8%) showed no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). The intraoperative air leak test to 24 hours after surgery revealed that air leakage ceased in 8 cases (32.0%) in the control group, compared to 14 cases (46.7%) in the experimental group. Moreover, during the progression from air leakage at 24 hours post-surgery to postoperative PAL, air leakage ceased in 6 cases (35.3%) in the control group and 8 cases (50.0%) in the experimental group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). Compared to the control group, the patients in the experimental group exhibited more pronounced postoperative diaphragmatic elevation that recovered to a slightly higher than preoperative level by 3 mon after surgery. CONCLUSIONS The combination of PNC and active lung repair can serve as an important intervention for patients at high risk of intraoperative air leakage, reducing the occurrence of postoperative PAL.
Humans ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Lung Neoplasms/surgery* ; Aged ; Phrenic Nerve/physiopathology* ; Cryotherapy ; Pneumonectomy/adverse effects* ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore the preventive effect of transcutaneous phrenic nerve stimulation on ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction (VIDD) in patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. The patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Jiaxing First Hospital from November 2022 to December 2023 were enrolled. Participants were randomized into the control group and the observation group using a random number table. The control group was given ICU standardized nursing intervention, including turning over and slapping the back, raising the head of the bed, sputum aspiration on demand, aerosol inhalation, oral care, and monitoring of airbag pressure and gastric retention, the observation group was given additional transcutaneous phrenic nerve stimulation intervention on the basis of ICU standardized nursing intervention. The stimulation intensity was set to 10 U, the pulse frequency was set to 40 Hz, and the stimulation frequency was set to 12 times/min. Transcutaneous phrenic nerve stimulation was administered once a day for 30 minutes each time, for a total of 5 days. Diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF) and arterial blood gas parameters on days 1, 3, and 5 of intervention were compared between the two groups. After 5 days of intervention, other parameters including the incidence of VIDD, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of ICU stay were compared. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation were enrolled, with 16 dropouts (dropout rate was 13.33%). Ultimately, 51 patients in the control group and 53 patients in the observation group were analyzed. Baseline characteristics, including gender, age, body mass index (BMI), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, albumin (Alb), hemoglobin (Hb), and disease type, showed no significant differences between the two groups. DTF in both groups gradually increased over duration of intervention [DTF on days 1, 3, and 5 in the control group was (20.83±2.33)%, (21.92±1.27)%, and (23.93±2.33)%, respectively, and that in the observation group was (20.89±1.96)%, (22.56±1.64)%, and (25.34±2.38)%, respectively], with more significant changes in DTF in the observation group, showing time effects (F_time = 105.975, P < 0.001), intervention effects (F_intervention = 7.378, P = 0.008), and interaction effects (F_interaction = 3.322, P = 0.038). Arterial blood gas parameters did not differ significantly before intervention between the groups, but after 5 days of intervention, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [mmHg (1 mmHg≈0.133 kPa): 100.72±15.75 vs. 93.62±15.54, P < 0.05], and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) was significantly lower than that in the control group (mmHg: 36.53±3.10 vs. 37.69±2.02, P < 0.05). At 5 days of intervention, the incidence of VIDD in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group [15.09% (8/53) vs. 37.25% (19/51), P < 0.05], and both duration of mechanical ventilation and length of ICU stay were significantly shorter than those in the control group [duration of mechanical ventilation (days): 7.93±2.06 vs. 8.77±1.76, length of ICU stay (days): 9.64±2.35 vs. 11.01±2.01, both P < 0.05]. CONCLUSIONS Transcutaneous phrenic nerve stimulation can improve diaphragmatic and respiratory function in patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, reduce the incidence of VIDD, and shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation and length of ICU stay.
Humans ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Respiration, Artificial/adverse effects* ; Diaphragm/physiopathology* ; Phrenic Nerve ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged

Hiccup is an intermittent, involuntary and erratic contraction of the diaphragm, immediately followed by a laryngeal closure. Persistent and intractable hiccups are rare but severe, keeping a person from doing daily activities; these can result in depression, fatigue, impaired sleep, dehydration, weight loss, malnutrition, and aspiration. Therefore, proper treatments are necessary. We present a case with intractable hiccup treated with an unusual treatment. A 61-year-old man presented with intractable hiccups, which started 6 years ago after subarachnoid and intraventricular hemorrhage. Conventional pharmacologic treatments including metoclopramide, gabapentin, and baclofen were unsuccessful. Cooperating with cardiothoracic surgeons, phrenic nerve clipping operation was done under intraoperative electrophysiologic monitoring. This method was successful that the symptoms were relieved. Reversible clipping done under intraoperative electrophysiologic monitoring can be a promising therapeutic method for persistent and intractable hiccups in patients with stroke.
Baclofen ; Dehydration ; Depression ; Diaphragm ; Electromyography ; Fatigue ; Hemorrhage ; Hiccup* ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Methods ; Metoclopramide ; Middle Aged ; Phrenic Nerve* ; Stroke* ; Surgeons ; Weight Loss

Isolated respiratory onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare clinical manifestation and the diagnosis can be challenging. A 72-year-old man presented with dyspnea and hypercapnia that had started 11 months earlier. A phrenic nerve study was conducted and he was diagnosed promptly with ALS with no significant time delay. The phrenic nerve study is a noninvasive and useful tool in the diagnosis of respiratory onset ALS that can be applied easily in an emergency department.
Aged ; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fasciculation ; Humans ; Hypercapnia ; Phrenic Nerve*

While most benign hiccups can be controlled with empirical therapy, intractable hiccups lasting longer than one month tend to have significant adverse effects with obscure etiology. Treatment strategies for intractable hiccups have not been established. Only a few sporadic cases of bilateral phrenic nerve blockage have been reported. Here, we report a case of intractable hiccups that lasted five weeks in a 56-year-old male patient with a lung cancer above the right diaphragm. We hypothesized that his intractable hiccups were caused by irritation and mass effect caused by the lung cancer. We performed an ultrasound-guided right unilateral phrenic nerve pulsed radiofrequency treatment, and the patient's intractable hiccups were successfully managed without complication.
Diaphragm ; Hiccup* ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phrenic Nerve ; Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment ; Ultrasonography

One of the complications of permanent pacemaker implantation is unintended phrenic nerve stimulation. A 15-year-old boy with a permanent pacemaker presented with chest discomfort due to synchronous chest wall contraction with pacing beats. Even after reprogramming of the pacemaker, diaphragmatic stimulation persisted. Therefore, we performed thoracoscopic phrenic nerve insulation using a Gore-Tex patch to insulate the phrenic nerve from the wire. A minimally invasive approach using a thoracoscope is a feasible option for retractable phrenic nerve stimulation after pacemaker implantation.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Male ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; Phrenic Nerve* ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Thoracic Wall ; Thoracoscopes ; Thoracoscopy ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Perioperative magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) is used for analgesic, anti-arrhythmic, and obstetric purposes. The effects of MgSO4 on the neuromuscular blockade (NMB) induced by rocuronium, and the sugammadex reversal thereof, have not been clearly quantified. We investigated the effect of various MgSO4 concentrations on the NMB by rocuronium, and sugammadex reversal, in isolated left phrenic nerve hemi-diaphragm (PNHD) preparations from the rat. METHODS: Rat PNHD preparations were randomly allocated to one of four groups varying in terms of MgSO4 concentration (1, 2, 3, and 4 mM, each n = 10, in Krebs solution). The train-of-four (TOF) and twitch height responses were recorded mechanomyographically. The preparations were treated with incrementally increasing doses of rocuronium and each group’s effective concentration (EC)50, EC90, and EC95 of rocuronium were calculated via nonlinear regression. Then, sugammadex was administered in doses equimolar to rocuronium. The recovery index, time to T1 height > 95% of control, and the time to a TOF ratio > 0.9 after sugammadex administration were measured. RESULTS: The EC50, EC90, and EC95 of rocuronium fell significantly as the magnesium level increased. The EC50, EC90, and EC95 of rocuronium did not differ between the 3 and 4 mM groups. The recovery index, time to T1 height > 95% of control, and time to a TOF ratio > 0.9 after sugammadex administration did not differ among the four groups. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in the magnesium concentration in rat PNHD preparations proportionally enhanced the NMB induced by rocuronium but did not affect reversal by equimolar amounts of sugammadex.
Anesthesia ; Animals ; Magnesium Sulfate* ; Magnesium* ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Phrenic Nerve* ; Rats*

Motor neuron diseases (MNDs) refer to a heterogeneous group of progressive neurologic disorders caused by degeneration of motor neurons. The diseases affect either the upper motor neurons, lower motor neurons, or both, and are characterized by weakness, atrophy, fasciculation, spasticity, and respiratory failure. We report a case of a 61-year-old male patient with no past history of cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, who presented with only dyspnea, and no indication of any other symptom such as muscle weakness, atrophy, or bulbar dysfunction. Neuromuscular conduction study, including a study of the phrenic nerve, confirmed the diagnosis of MND. The patient greatly improved giving respiratory assistance at night, using a noninvasive ventilator. This case indicates that MNDs should be considered as differential diagnoses for patients showing acute respiratory failure of unknown causes. This report will aid in the prompt diagnosis and treatment of MNDs.
Atrophy ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dyspnea ; Fasciculation ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motor Neuron Disease* ; Motor Neurons* ; Muscle Spasticity ; Muscle Weakness ; Nervous System Diseases ; Phrenic Nerve ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency* ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Otalgia consists of primary otalgia associated with disorders of the ear itself and referred otalgia due to disorders of organs that share the same innervation with the ear. Disorders of the oral cavity and laryngopharynx served by the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves are common causes of referred otalgia. Chest pain from myocardial infarction spreads through the afferent pain pathway, especially through the sympathetic nerves in the cardiac plexus and the phrenic nerve, resulting in a typical chest pain or referred pain in the left upper extremity. However, pain spreading through the vagus nerve can theoretically cause referred otalgia. This association between the heart and ear has not been widely acknowledged, even though a referred otalgia can occasionally be the only symptom of the tragic disease, myocardial infarction, and should be taken seriously. We report a patient who complained of left otalgia as the only symptom of myocardial infarction.
Cardiomyopathies ; Chest Pain ; Ear ; Earache* ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; Infarction ; Mouth ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Pain, Referred ; Phrenic Nerve ; Upper Extremity ; Vagus Nerve

A 77-year-old woman presented with exertional dyspnea six days after left pectoral pacemaker implantation. Chest radiography at presentation showed that her left diaphragm was elevated when compared to earlier films. A fluoroscopic sniff test confirmed left diaphragmatic paralysis. Thoracic computed tomography did not reveal any major vascular or lung parenchymal injury; however, phrenic nerve injury on direct needle puncture during the original surgery was suspected. The patient's small body size may have increased the risk of this injury. Delayed-onset unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis appears to be a rare complication of cardiac device implantation.
Aged ; Body Size ; Diaphragm ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Needles ; Phrenic Nerve ; Punctures ; Radiography ; Respiratory Paralysis* ; Thorax