[Long-term impact of transfer of phrenic nerve on respiratory system of children: a clinical study of 34 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To study the long-term impact of transfer of phrenic nerve on respiratory system of children.


METHODS
Thirty-four children with brachial plexus injury, 25 boys and 9 girls, underwent transfer of phrenic nerve and were divided into 3 groups according to the age when they underwent operation: group of the age of 0 - 12 months (n = 17), group of 13 - 36 months (n = 11), and group of 37 - 60 months (n = 6). Thirty-four sex, height, and body weight-matched healthy children were used as controls. Follow-up, including physical examination, pulmonary function examination (tidal volume, ventilation, etc), blood gas analysis, and chest radiography, was conducted for 4.03 years (3 - 7 years).


RESULTS
The values of maximum vital capacity of the group of 0 - 12 months and group of 13 - 36 months were 1.0 L +/- 0.2 L and 1.2 L +/- 0.4 L, both significantly lower than those of the corresponding control groups (1.3 L +/- 0.3 L and 1.4 L +/- 0.5 L, both P < 0.05). The values of one-second vital capacity of the group of 0 - 12 months and group of 13 - 36 months were 0.8 L +/- 0.1 L and 0.9 L +/- 0.1 L, both significantly lower than those of the corresponding control groups (1.0 L +/- 0.1 L and 1.0 L +/- 0.1 L, both P < 0.05). However, the values of the maximum vital capacity and one-second vital capacity of the group of 37 - 60 months were 1.6 L +/- 0.3 L and 1.8 L +/- 0.5 L respectively, both not significantly different from those of the controls (both P > 0.05). The results of blood gas analysis of the 3 operation groups were not significantly different from those of the corresponding controls. Chest radiograph showed that the diaphragm top was raised by 1.93 intercostal spaces (0.5 - 3.5 intercostal spaces) in comparison with the contralateral sides with significant differences between the group of 0 - 12 months and the group of 13 - 36 months and between the group of 0 - 12 months and the group of 37 - 60 months (both P < 0.05). The recurrent respiratory infection rate and of the groups of 0 - 12 months and 13 - 36 months were 47.1% and 27.3% respectively, both significantly higher than that of the group of 37 - 60 months (0%). The thorax deformity rate of the groups of 0 - 12 months and 13 - 36 months were 41.2% and 9.1% respectively, both significantly higher than that of the group of 37 - 60 months (0%). Three of the children in the group of 0 - 12 months (17.6%) had digestive system symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Transfer of phrenic nerve operated on children younger than 3 years may cause abnormalities of respiratory system, thorax, and digestive system. The younger the patients the more severe the consequences of the operation. The children older than 3 years tolerate the operation better.
Yang
Yong
Y
Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Chen
Liang
L
Gu
Yu-Dong
YD
Hu
Shao-Nan
SN
Zhang
Hao
H
D000367:Age Factors; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016067:Nerve Transfer; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000637:transplantation*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors