Journal of pediatric surgery
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Phrenic nerve palsy (PNP) is seen in infants and young children usually resulting from operative trauma or birth injury. Spontaneous recovery usually occurs, but occasionally surgical plication is necessary. Twenty-three cases of PNP over a 10-year period were managed surgically. ⋯ Postoperative complications included pneumonia (2), wound infection (1), pneumothorax (2), and mucous plug with pulmonary collapse (1). One patient died of cardiac failure at 16 days. One patient in group 3 developed recurrent respiratory distress 4 months postoperatively; he had a recurrent elevated hemidiaphragm requiring a second plication.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)