Anesthesiology
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Diaphragm dysfunction is common in intensive care unit and associated with weaning failure and mortality. Diagnosis gold standard is the transdiaphragmatic or tracheal pressure induced by magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation. However, the equipment is not commonly available and requires specific technical skills. We aimed to evaluate ultrasound guided transcutaneous phrenic nerve stimulation for daily bedside assessment of diaphragm function by targeted electrical phrenic nerve stimulation. ⋯ The SONOTEPS method is a simple and accurate tool for bedside assessment of diaphragm function with ultrasound guided transcutaneous phrenic nerve stimulation in sedated patients with no or minimal spontaneous respiratory activity.