Diaphragm pacing in a pediatric patient with Acquired Central Hypoventilation syndrome.

Introduction: Diaphragmatic pacemaker is a device that reduces or eliminates the need of mechanical ventilation in patients with chronic respiratory failure who keep the phrenic nerve-diaphragm axis intact, as long as they do not present intrinsic lung disease. Although its implantation has been practiced for deca des, its use is not widespread and to date, there is little published literature about it, mostly related to high spinal cord injury and congenital central hypoventilation syndrome.

Objective: To describe an experience of diaphragmatic pacemaker implantation in a pediatric patient with acquired cen tral hypoventilation syndrome.