[Elevation of the diaphragma after cardiac surgery]

Phrenic nerve injury and diaphragmatic dysfunction can be induced by cardiac operation. We evaluated nonconsecutive 34 patients (pts) with elevation of the diaphragma after cardiac operation. 27 pts have coronary artery bypass grafting, 7 pts have prosthetic valve implantation. We have impression that ice/saline slush used along with cold cardioplegia for heart arrest can cause hypothermic damage of phrenic nerve. Palsy of that nerve results in raised hemidiaphragm and delayed recovery of the pts. In our pts normalisation of the diaphragm we observed 6 months after operation in 41% pts and 12 month after in 93% pts. We suggest that results depends on early and well rehabilitation.