Treatment of Bilateral Diaphragmatic Paralysis after Resection of Thymic Carcinoma: One case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis is a rare disease. It is caused by trauma, cardiothoracic surgery, neuromuscular disorders, cervical spondylosis, and infection. A 60 year-old male patient developed bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis after an en-bloc resection of thymic carcinoma which invaded the right upper lobe, pericardium, superior vena cava and innominate vein. Severe respiratory difficulty developed and ventilator weaning was impossible. We performed bilateral diaphragmatic plication. After the operation, satisfactorily ventilator weaning and sleeping in supine position were possible; therefore, we report this case.