Phrenic Nerve Block to Mitigate Self-inflicted Lung Injury
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2020-09-09
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose of this single-centered, proof of concept study is to determine whether it is
feasible to perform a phrenic nerve block to reduce diaphragm electrical activity and,
therefore, inspiratory effort and if such block reduces self-inflicted lung injury on
patients under mechanical ventilation on spontaneous breathing. Ten patients will be
monitored with electrical impedance tomography, NAVA catheter, and esophageal balloon. Using
a nerve stimulator and an ultrasound, we will identify the phrenic nerve on its cervical
portion bilaterally and administer perineural low-dose lidocaine. Diaphragm electrical
activity, transpulmonary pressure and data on ventilation distribution will be continuously
collected. The study will be over once the patient presents the same diaphragm electrical
activity and transpulmonary pressure as before the phrenic nerve block.