Postoperative Effects of Intraoperative Temporary Phrenic Nerve Paralysis in Lung Resection Surgery

This prospective observational study was conducted at the University of Health Sciences, Konya City Hospital, Department of Thoracic Surgery, between September 2019 and March 2023. The study included patients who underwent lung resection surgery via muscle-sparing thoracotomy. In the intervention group, a controlled intraoperative phrenic nerve crush was applied to induce temporary phrenic nerve paralysis. In the control group, no phrenic nerve manipulation was performed. The primary objective was to evaluate the postoperative effects and reversibility of temporary phrenic nerve paralysis using diaphragm electromyography (EMG) and pulmonary function tests (FEV1, FVC). Secondary objectives included the assessment of residual pleural space filling, prolonged air leak, chest tube duration, and length of hospital stay. The study also aimed to determine whether temporary phrenic nerve paralysis could help minimize postoperative residual pleural space and prolonged air leak without causing permanent functional impairment. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine Ethics Committee (approval number: NEU2019-1421). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to enrollment.