Eventration/relaxation of the diaphragm due to birth trauma. Reinnervation in addition to plication. Long-term distant results of diaphragm function restoration

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15574/PS.2025.1(86).121130

Keywords:

diaphragm eventration, reinnervation, diaphragm plication, simultaneous surgery, thoracotomy, respiratory distress syndrome, lung dead space, Erb-Duchenne birth paralysis

Abstract

Aim - retrospective analysis of the catamnesis observation of children with eventration/relaxation of the diaphragm due to birth trauma with surgical reinnervation and plication.

Clinical cases. Two children were followed up and analyzed, both born with full relaxation of the diaphragm dome on the right side, Erb-Duchenne plexitis, hydrocephalic syndrome due to hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, and pneumonia. The diagnosis was established in the early neonatal period, and the severity of respiratory disorders required respiratory support (mechanical ventilation of the lungs) and intensive therapy in the newborn intensive care unit. The clinical cases presented demonstrate a rare pathology of birth paralysis of the diaphragm dome due to damage to the phrenic nerve. The patients were treated surgically by means of reventration of the diaphragm dome using the plication method with simultaneous reinnervation. These surgical interventions had a 100% success rate among the patients.

Conclusions. Diaphragmatic eventration is a rare pathology accompanied by respiratory disorders, severe respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation with subsequent surgical intervention to restore diaphragm function. Correction of the diaphragm eventration using the plication method with simultaneous reinnervation is the most effective surgical method of treatment in newborns.

The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent of the child and child's parents was obtained for the studies.

No conflict of interest was declared by the author.

Author Biography

Ye.O. Rudenko, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv

National Specialized Children's Hospital "OHMATDYT", Kyiv

References

Bowerson M, Nelson VS, Yang LJ. (2010). Diaphragmatic paralysis associated with neonatal brachial plexus palsy. Pediatr Neurol. 42 (3): 234-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2009.11.005; PMid:20159438

De Vries Reilingh TS, Koens BL, Vos A. (1998). Surgical treatment of diaphragmatic eventration caused by phrenic nerve injury in the newborn. Journal of pediatric surgery. 33(4): 602-605. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3468(98)90325-6; PMid:9574760

Groth SS, Andrade RS. (2010). Diaphragm plication for eventration or paralysis: a review of the literature. The Annals of thoracic surgery. 89(6): S2146-S2150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2010.03.021; PMid:20493999

Gruber PJ. (2017). Diaphragm plication: when and why to do it. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 154(5):1712-1713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2017.07.042; PMid:28867382

Hamilton JRL, Tocewicz K, Elliott MJ, De Leval M, Stark J. (1990). Paralysed diaphragm after cardiac surgery in children: value of plication. European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery. 4(9): 487-491. https://doi.org/10.1016/1010-7940(90)90171-U; PMid:2223129

Kozlov YuA, Novozhylov VA, Rasputin AA, Kononenko MY, Kuznetsova PY, Portianoi DM. (2013). Torakoskopycheskaia plykatsyia dyafrahmy u detei pervikh 3 mesiatsev zhyzny. Detskaia khyrurhyia. 6: 23-26.

Krieger LM, Krieger AJ. (2000). The intercostal to phrenic nerve transfer: an effective means of reanimating the diaphragm in patients with high cervical spine injury. Plastic and reconstructive surgery. 105(4): 1255-1261. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006534-200004040-00001; PMid:10744213

Kryvchenia DIu, Benzar IM, Blikhar VE. (2015). Diafrahmalni hryzhi u ditei. Problemni pytannia diahnostyky i likuvannia. Navch. posib. Ternopil: TDMU: 80.

Kryvchenia DYu, Benzar IM, Rudenko YeO ta in. (2014). Plastyka diafrahmy u novonarodzhenykh ditei z aplaziieiu kupola. Rol ta mistse medytsyny u zabezpechenni zdorovʼia liudyny u suchasnomu suspilstvi. Materialy mizhnar. nauk.-prakt. konf., m. Odesa, 21-22 lystop. 2014 r. Mizhnarodnyi humanitarnyi universytet. Odesa: 58-60.

Kryvchenia DIu, Ksonz IV, Benzar IM, Prytula VP, Pokhylko VI. (2013). Sposib khirurhichnoho likuvannia paralichu diafrahmy u ditei. Patent na korysnu model No.77820. Biul. No.4 vid 25.02.2013.

Kryvchenia DIu, Ksonz IV, Benzar IM, Prytula VP, Pokhylko VI. (2013). Sposib khirurhichnoho likuvannia paralichu diafrahmy u novonarodzhenykh ditei. Patent na korysnu model No. 78718. Biul. No.6 vid 25.03.2013.

Kryvchenia DIu, Ksonz IV, Pokhylko VI, Benzar IN. (2014). Poshkodzhennia diafrahmalnoho nervu u novonarodzhenykh z polohovoiu travmoiu. Reinnervatsiia ta plikatsiia diafrahmy pry yii eventratsii. Materialy naukovo-praktychnoi konferentsii likariv-pediatriv z mizhnarodnoiu uchastiu. 21.03.2014. m. Kharkiv.

Leniv OM, Pereyaslov AA, Kovalskyy RY, Hyzha LY, Nykyforuk OM, Dats RI. (2023). First experience of implantation of diaphragm pacemakers in infant with bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis. Paediatric Surgery (Ukraine). 1(78): 127-130. https://doi.org/10.15574/PS.2023.78.127

Levyte EM, Uklonskyi AN, Kulakov VF. (2009). Rol myortvoho prostranstva v formyrovanyy y dyahnostyke dikhatelnoi nedostatochnosty. Obshchaia reanymatolohyia. 5(2): 76-78.

Opanasenko MS, Konik BM, Shamrai MIu, Tereshkovych OV, Levanda LI, Bychkovskyi VB ta insh. (2019). Khirurhichne likuvannia relaksatsii diafrahmy. Khirurhiia Ukrainy. 3: 7-12.

Palevsky HY. (1997). Lehochnoe krovoobrashchenye. V kn. M.A. Hryppy. Patofyzyolohyia lehkykh. Moskva: Yzdatelstvo BYNOM, Sankt Peterburh: Nevskyi Dyalekt: 318.

Stramrood CA, Blok CA, van der Zee DC, Gerards LJ. (2009). Neonatal phrenic nerve injury due to traumatic delivery. Journal of perinatal medicine. 37(3): 293-296. https://doi.org/10.1515/JPM.2009.040; PMid:19199838

Tönz M, von Segesser LK, Mihaljevic T, Arbenz U, Stauffer UG, Turina MI. (1996). Clinical implications of phrenic nerve injury after pediatric cardiac surgery. Journal of pediatric surgery. 31(9): 1265-1267. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3468(96)90247-X; PMid:8887098

Van Smith C, Jacobs JP, Burke RP. (1998). Minimally invasive diaphragm plication in an infant. Ann Thorac Surg. 65 (3): 842-844. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-4975(98)00008-3; PMid:9527232

Published

2025-03-28