title: Phrenic nerve injury after blunt trauma.
abstract: Phrenic nerve injury resulting from blunt trauma is unusual and may closely mimic diaphragmatic rupture. Diagnosis remains difficult and is often delayed. A prompt diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion. We describe one patient with phrenic nerve injury in whom the diagnosis was made late at the time of injury. Radiograph, ultrasonography, and computed tomography were helpful in the diagnosis. Video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed on our patient for diagnostic purposes. Left phrenic nerve injury and pericardial injury were found. Diaphragmatic plication was performed through a miniature left posterolateral thoracotomy. This case was presented to show the unusual nature of phrenic nerve injury.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey. Refiku@dicle.edu.tr
authors.forename: Refik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ulkü
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onat
authors.forename: Akin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balci
authors.forename: Nesimi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eren
mesh_terms: D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000293:injuries*; D012133:Respiratory Paralysis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012421:Rupture; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D020196:Trauma, Nervous System / Q000209:etiology*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*