Biological thresholds of cold-induced phrenic nerve injury

The effects of controlled cooling on phrenic nerve signal conduction were investigated by cooling an isolated segment of the phrenic nerve with a constant but variable temperature probe. The conduction of a standard electrical stimulus applied to the nerve proximal to the cooled section was measured by detector electrodes sutured to the diaphragm. Nerve conduction of the applied stimulus ceased between 10 degrees and 12 degrees C but returned within seconds after the probe was removed. The delay in the return of conduction increased as nerve temperature decreased until at a temperature of 4 degrees C the ability to conduct did not return after 4 hours. The amount of fat surrounding the nerve and the blood flow rate along the cooled portion of the nerve were observed to ameliorate the effects of low temperature on stimulus conduction. Total body cooling also appears to offer some protection against loss of conduction.