Fausta Viccaro, Antonella Sotgiu, Krisstopher Richard Flores, Ernesto Maria Di Biase, Letizia D'Antoni, Paolo Palange
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引用次数: 1
Abstract
Introduction: Bilateral paralysis of the diaphragm may be an idiopathic clinical condition or associated with several diseases such as trauma, surgery, viral infections, neurologic disorders. The diaphragm is the main respiratory muscle. It is a cupoliform muscle-tendon structure, innervated bilaterally by phrenic nerve, which originates from C3-C5 nerve roots. Diaphragmatic paralysis is a clinical disorder that generates hypoventilation and basal pulmonary atelectasis, predisposing to hypercapnic respiratory failure. The clinic manifestations mimic cardio-respiratory pathologies, therefore often misdiagnosticated.
Case presentation: A 55-year-old man with a previous C6-7 traumatic fracture, referred multiple accesses to the emergency room for acute nocturnal dyspnoea, treated with antibiotic therapy, diuretic therapy and long-term oxygen therapy, without beneficial effects. He referred to our pulmonary clinic for evaluation of persistent and worsening orthopnoea due to unknown cause for about 2 years. Clinical examination, respiratory functional tests and diaphragm ultrasound revealed a strong suspicion of diaphragmatic deficit, confirmed by electromyography.
Conclusions: The patient accesses to the emergency room numerous times and the clinical frame have been always oriented towards a cardio-respiratory origin. From the onset of the symptom to the respiratory evaluation, about 2.5 years have passed. The manifestation of clear orthopnoea has addressed the functional respiratory study towards a more thorough diaphragmatic evaluation assessed by ultrasound.
期刊介绍:
Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine is the official journal of the Italian Respiratory Society - Società Italiana di Pneumologia (IRS/SIP). The journal publishes on all aspects of respiratory medicine and related fields, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary and translational research.
The interdisciplinary nature of the journal provides a unique opportunity for researchers, clinicians and healthcare professionals across specialties to collaborate and exchange information. The journal provides a high visibility platform for the publication and dissemination of top quality original scientific articles, reviews and important position papers documenting clinical and experimental advances.