Bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis following paediatric cardiac surgery : experience of four cases at the Royal hospital, Muscat, Oman

• Published in: Sultan Qaboos University medical journal Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 334 - 338
• Main Authors: al-Hanshi, Said Ali Masud, al-Ghafiri, Muhammad Hamad Rashid
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Arabic; English
• Published: Muscat, Oman Sultan Qaboos University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences 01.08.2017; Sultan Qaboos University; Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, College of Medicine & Health Sciences
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Carbon dioxide; cardiac surgical procedures; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - adverse effects; Case Series; Children & youth; Diaphragm; diaphragmatic paralysis; Female; heart disease; Heart surgery; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Intensive care; Intubation; Male; Neurological disorders; Oman; Ostomy; paediatrics; Patients; Pediatrics; Pneumonia; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Pulmonary arteries; Respiratory Paralysis - etiology; Respiratory therapy; Tracheostomy; Transposition of Great Vessels - surgery; Ventilators; Weaning; Oman; Cardiac Surgical Procedures; Case Series; Heart Disease; Oman; Paediatrics; Diaphragmatic Paralysis
• ISSN: 2075-051X; 2075-0528
• DOI: 10.18295/squmj.2017.17.03.013

Bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (BDP) is a rare complication of paediatric cardiac surgery. We report four children who developed BDP following cardiac surgery who were managed at the Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between 2009 and 2014. All four children suffered severe respiratory distress soon after extubation and required re-intubation within two hours. In addition, all of the children underwent a tracheostomy as an interim method for ventilation. The four children were successfully weaned from positive pressure ventilation following the functional recovery of at least one side of the diaphragm.