Diaphragm pacing in spinal cord injury can significantly decrease mechanical ventilation in multicenter prospective evaluation.

Background: Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to dependence on mechanical ventilation (MV) with significant morbidity and mortality. The diaphragm pacing system (DPS) was developed as an alternative to MV.

Methods: We conducted a prospective single-arm study of DPS in MV-dependent patients with high SCI and intact phrenic nerves.

Multicenter review of diaphragm pacing in spinal cord injury: successful not only in weaning from ventilators but also in bridging to independent respiration.

Background: Ventilator-dependent spinal cord-injured (SCI) patients require significant resources related to ventilator dependence. Diaphragm pacing (DP) has been shown to successfully replace mechanical ventilators for chronic ventilator-dependent tetraplegics. Early use of DP following SCI has not been described.

Multicenter analysis of diaphragm pacing in tetraplegics with cardiac pacemakers: positive implications for ventilator weaning in intensive care units.

Background: Diaphragm pacing (DP) can replace mechanical ventilation in tetraplegics and in trials has assisted respiration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. This report describes results of DP in patients with cardiac pacemakers.

Methods: Prospective, single-center and multicenter, nonrandomized, controlled, interventional protocols under U.

Complete worldwide operative experience in laparoscopic diaphragm pacing: results and differences in spinal cord injured patients and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

Background: Diaphragm movement is essential for adequate ventilation, and when the diaphragm is adversely affected patients face lifelong positive-pressure mechanical ventilation or death. This report summarizes the complete worldwide multicenter experience with diaphragm pacing stimulation (DPS) to maintain and provide diaphragm function in ventilator-dependent spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and respiratory-compromised patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It will highlight the surgical experiences and the differences in diaphragm function in these two groups of patients.

A three-year follow-up on standard versus thin wall ePTFE grafts for hemodialysis.

Purpose: Expanded polytetraflouroethylene (ePTFE) grafts are the most popular prosthetic grafts for hemodialysis patients in whom autogenous fistulas cannot be constructed. Long-term studies to study the durability and complication rate of the different wall configurations of ePTFE grafts have not been carried out. The primary, secondary, and cumulative patency and other complications between standard thickness (STD) and thin wall (THN) 6 mm stretch ePTFE grafts (WL Gore & Assoc, Flagstaff, AZ) was prospectively evaluated.