Restoration of respiration in high cervical spinal cord injury via phrenic nerve reinnervation: illustrative case.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Traumatic high cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) can result in a devastating loss of functional respiration, leaving patients permanently dependent on mechanical ventilation. Nerve transfer is a promising reinnervation strategy that has the potential to restore connectivity in paralyzed distal muscles. The spinal accessory nerve (SAN) remains functional in most cases after high cervical SCI and can serve as a donor to reinnervate the phrenic nerve (PN), thereby improving diaphragmatic function.

Observations

Information regarding thorough physical, electrodiagnostic, and pulmonary assessments to establish candidacy for nerve transfer, as well as the surgical procedure, was summarized with an illustrative case. The patient demonstrated improvement in pulmonary funct

SUBMITTER: Javeed S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11301593 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature