United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi,
I have a brachial plexus injury and 5 years ago had a nerve graft. In order to enervate my right bicep, the right phrenic nerve was severed, to graft it with the sural nerve, taken from the back of my leg.
Can anyone let me know the long term effects of loss of the phrenic nerve in relation to lung capacity?
What effect does a partially paralysed diaphram have on lung function, long term?
Any information on the above would be greatly appreciated.
Georgina.

My son had the same thing done in February, and after the initial after-effects of surgery (having to work hard at deep breathing), he is back to competitive cycling with no noticeable problems. Week after next he'll be back at Mayo & the visit will include a test to determine his lung capacity - and we'll send an update to you at that time. He can check into longterm consequences as well. Where was your surgery done?

We've been told by others that loss of the phrenic nerve can just "happen" in other ways, and many times people don't even know about it (i.e., they didn't notice it). But a very small percentage of people can have some breathing difficulty after exertion.

We'll post again in a couple weeks.

Ellen

hey,

I know that the docs said that they were confident in the recovery of lung capacity over the loss of the phrenic nerve. but there are world champion paralympic atheletes who have lost their phrenic nerve and say they do not know that they lost it. the docs. are more concerned w/ reg. living though and do all they can for it. I believe the % was 1 in 100 experienced shortness of breath. and if you are that 1, you will experience it immediately. where was your surgery performed? how long ago was it done?

john

Hi Georgina,

I posted a reply to your post on the camp 2003 forum...I've copied and pasted it here too...

I can relate to all of this as I have severe phrenic nerve damage caused by the accident, as well as the BPI.

I started investigating this thoroughly when a few years ago, my Doctor also thought I was suffering from heart failure and wouldn't listen when I told her my symptoms were probably related to the phrenic nerve damage.

After months of investigations, including heart monitors, lung function tests, overnight SATS tests, arterial blood tests (all these on me) and lots of scratching and shaking of heads, (the Drs) they FINALLY agreed with me that it WAS phrenic nerve damage causing me all the problems after all.

Please feel free to email me or ask me on here anything you want to know about this...I have had years of living with the results of phrenic nerve damage and now I know how to live with it.

Liz

ps Anyone else reading this...try not to confuse the effects of phrenic nerve damage with those of asthma; although each could produce simmilar symptoms, the cause is very different.

..P.S. You might find this thread http://pub28.ezboard.com/fadultswithbra ... =774.topic on the TBPI Group board on this subject interesting...

Liz :0)

Hi Georgina
My phrenic doesn't seem too bad, it is affected because I can't breathe easily while swimming but I never notice otherwise and I smoked like a chimney for 30 years :0)
Nice to hear from you anyway, it's been a while. Taker care Jen NZ

My phrenic nerve was killed in my accident too. It has caused me a lot of problems. The loss of my prenic nerve, plus my obesety, makes my lung function low. I'm on oxygen 24/7. My lungs were damaged in the accident as well, so maybe that is another reason for my breathing complications.

I hope you won't have any of these problems.

SusieKaye

I had my thyroid taken out and now have a paralysed vocal cord. A few weeks after having this surgery and I had iodine therapy and later that very same day I couldn't breath. I was taken to the hospital and they couldn't find anything, I have seen a heart specialist, a lung specialist, and a neuroligst. They can,t seem to find out what's wrong. I can't lay down at all. I have been setting up sleeping for 12 weeks now. I also get very short of breath with excertion or any kind and if it's hot or humid outside I can't breath. I'm wondering if they could have damaged my Phrenic Nerve when they did the thyroid surgery. I don't know what to do , but I am misserable. Judy

I am so sorry to hear of your problems Judy. One thing they can do to see if your phrenic nerve has been compromised in any way is a simple chest x-ray. This should indicate that the nerve maybe isn't working properly...it will show an obvious rise in level of the diaphragm on the affected side.

Try also to get a simple lung function test..we can get these done in our own GP's office here in the UK. It's the one they give to asthmatics, the one where you blow into a cardboard tube attached to a meter.

Hope it all sorts itself out soon...let us know how you get on. I know how miserable life can get with these breathing difficulties, but hopefully, your probs might be just a temporary thing.

Lizz b

Judy,

Your symptoms sound so much like my symptoms that I think it would be a good idea to check out phrenic nerve damage. Even though I have to be on oxygen all the time, I can recline in order to sleep at night now. At first I too had to sit up to sleep. I still can't lay flat. I'm 4 yrs post injury.

Best wishes for more improvement!

SusieKaye