Intraoperative phrenic nerve stimulation to prevent diaphragm fiber weakness during thoracic surgery.

ABSTRACT: Thoracic surgery rapidly induces weakness in human diaphragm fibers. The dysfunction is thought to arise from combined effects of the surgical procedures and inactivity. This project tested whether brief bouts of intraoperative hemidiaphragm stimulation would mitigate slow and fast fiber loss of force in the human diaphragm. We reasoned that maintenance of diaphragm activity with brief bouts of intraoperative phrenic stimulation would mitigate diaphragm fiber weakness and myofilament protein derangements caused by thoracic surgery. Nineteen adults (9 females, age 59 ± 12 years) with normal inspiratory strength or spirometry consented to participate. Unilateral phrenic twitch stimulation (twitch duration 1.5 ms, frequency 0.5 Hz, current 2x the motor threshold, max 25 mA) was applied for on

SUBMITTER: Bresciani G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11961012 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature