Surgical correction of acquired unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis by plication technique.

Acquired diaphragmatic paralysis may compromise lung mechanics and cause dyspnoea and/or lead to respiratory failure in the long term. A 76 year-old female patient presented with progressive worsening of dyspnoea and spirometric indices, and imaging studies revealed elevation of the left hemidiaphragm. Surgical correction was carried out by diaphragmatic plication technique, through a mini-thoracotomy approach. Immediate alleviation (within days) of her symptoms was observed, while improvement of radiological and pulmonary function tests occurred some weeks later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]