ObjectiveTo evaluate clinical outcomes of diaphragm plication for the treatment of diaphragmatic paralysis (DP) in infants after surgical correction for congenital heart diseases. MethodsClinical data of 13 infants who had DP after surgical correction for congenital heart diseases from December 2009 to December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 5 male and 8 female patients with their age of 35 days-11 months (6.6±3.2 months) and body weight of 3.5-9.6 (6.2±1.8) kg. Diaphragm plication was performed 19.08±4.29 days after open heart surgery. All the patients were not able to wean from mechanical ventilation,or were repeatedly reintubated because of severe respiratory failure after extubation. All the 13 patients received diaphragm plication for singleor double-sided DP. ResultsTwo patients had ventilator associated pneumonia (15.4%) including 1 patient with positive sputum cultures for Acinetobacter baumannii but negative blood culture. Another patient who had double-sided DP after surgical correction for tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia underwent double-sided diaphragm plication and later died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome,whose sputum and blood cultures were both positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the 11th day after double-sided diaphragm plication. Chest X-ray of all the patients showed plicated diaphragm in normal position after diaphragm plication. The average time from diaphragm plication to extubation was 5.38±3.09 days. After diaphragm plication,arterial partial pressures of oxygen (PaO2) significantly increased (90.22±8.47 mm Hg vs. 80.69±6.72 mm Hg,P<0.05) and arterial partial pressures of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) significantly decreased (39.87±6.31 mm Hg vs. 56.38±7.19 mm Hg,P<0.05). Twelve patients were followed up for 24 months after discharge. During follow-up,1 patient who received double-sided diaphragm plication had 2 episodes of pneumonia within 6 months after discharge. Respiratory function of all the other patients was normal. All the patients were in NYHA class Ⅰ-Ⅱ. ConclusionDiaphragm plication is a safe,easy and effective treatment to increase survival rate and decrease the incidence of hospital-acquired infection for infants who have DP and are unable to wean from mechanical ventilation after surgical correction for congenital heart diseases.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of diaphrammatic paralysis (DP) in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) after cardiac surgery. MethodsBetween October 2008 and June 2014, among 2 962 infant patients ( < 1 year) underwent cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease, postoperative DP was diagnosed in 31 patients. The paralysed hemidiaphragm was left side in 10 patients, right side in 15 patients, and bilateral in 6 patients. There were 22 males and 9 females. The age at operation was 1-12 (4.5±4.2) months on the average. The body weight at operation was 2.9 to 8.5 (5.6±2.2) kg on the average.All children received mechanical ventilation. ResultsNo patient died in this study.There was a statistical difference between preoperative and postoperative mechanical ventilation time at 123-832 (420±223) hours versus 15-212 (75±58) hours (P < 0.05). ConclusionsDP caused by phrenic nerve injury during surgical intervention for congenital heart disease is an important risk factor in terms of morbidity during the postoperative period. Diaphragmatic plication appears a good option, especially in infant children, to wean patients from mechanical ventilation and to prevent long-term side effects of mechanical ventilation.
Objective To explore the feasibility of ultrasound diagnosis of diaphragmatic paralysis in patients with ventilation after congenital heart disease surgery. Methods There were 542 patients with congenital heart disease after surgery, difficult to be weaned off the ventilator or suspected diaphragmatic paralysis of the patients, respectively, in the ventilator continous positive pressure breathing (CPAP) mode and completely independent breathing state, whose ultrasound examination of diaphragm function was conducted to determine the presence of diaphragmatic paralysis in our hospital between January 1, 2013 and April 30, 2016. There were 327 males and 215 females at age of 14±32 months. The results of ultrasound diagnosis between ventilator CPAP mode and completely spontaneous breathing mode were compared. Results Five hundred and forty-two patients underwent ultrasound diaphragmatic examination. The results of bedside ultrasound were completely diagnosed: in completely spontaneous breathing, 82 patients who were diagnosed as diaphragmatic paralysis, including 39 on the right, 25 on the left, 18 on both sides; in CPAP mode, 82 patients who were diagnosed as diaphragmatic paralysis, 38 on the right, left 25, bilateral 19. Using ultrasound in CPAP mode to diagnose diaphragmatic paralysis after congenital heart disease surgery, compared with the completely spontaneous breathing state, the sensitivity was 100.0% and the specificity was 99.9%. Conclusion It is accurate and feasible to diagnose the presence of diaphragmatic paralysis in patients with ventilation after congenital heart disease surgery.
ObjectiveTo investigate the timing and clinical efficacy of diaphragmatic plication in the treatment of diaphragmatic paralysis after congenital heart disease (CHD) operation.MethodsFrom January 2013 to February 2019, 30 children with CHD who were treated in Fuwai Hospital were collected, including 17 males and 13 females with a median age of 19.5 (3, 72) months. There were 6 patients with bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (bilateral group) and 24 patients with unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (unilateral group). The clinical data of the two groups were compared.ResultsAmong the 6 bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis patients, 2 underwent bilateral diaphragmatic plication, and the other 4 patients continued their off-line exercise after unilateral diaphragmatic plication. Patients in the unilateral group had shorter ventilator use time (266.77±338.34 h vs. 995.33±622.29 h, P=0.001) and total ICU stay time (33.21±23.97 d vs. 67.33±28.54 d, P=0.008) than those in the bilateral group. One patient died in the bilateral group, and there was no statistical difference between the two groups (P=0.363). There was no statistical difference in the ICU stay time after diaphragm plication between the two groups (11.68±10.28 d vs. 29.83±27.73 d, P>0.05).ConclusionDiaphragmatic plication is an effective treatment for diaphragmatic paralysis after CHD operation once the conservative treatment failed. The prognosis of bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis is worse than that of unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis. Strict control of indications for surgery is beneficial to the early recovery of patients.