An elevated hemidiaphragm 3 months after internal jugular vein hemodialysis catheter placement

Phrenic nerve palsy following central venous catheterization is a rare complication and is not well recognized. We present a 33 months old girl who has renal failure secondary to nephrotic syndrome. A left internal jugular catheter was placed using the Seldinger technique after a single injection of 2 ml prilocaine hydrochloride for local anesthesia and a single internal jugular vein cannulation. Subsequent chest roentgenograms confirmed proper catheter and diaphragm position. Three months after catheter placement, decreased breath sounds on the left side of the chest were noted. Left phrenic nerve palsy was demonstrated with fluoroscopy and electromyography with external diaphragmatic electrodes. The nerve damage was delayed after catheter placement, it seems unlikely that it was related to direct nerve trauma from the cannulation needle, local anesthetic infiltration of the nerve, or subsequent hematoma formation in this case. The phrenic nerve is in close proximity to both the catheter and the vein in which the catheter rests, an inflammatory reaction related to the catheter has been suggested as the cause for the nerve damage.