Hypoventilation after high unilateral cervical chordotomy in a patient with preexisting injury of the phrenic nerve.

ABSTRACT

Unilateral cervical chordotomy for the relief of intractable pain is a well accepted procedure but is not without hazard. Postoperative respiratory failure is not an uncommon occurrence, but the likelihood increases with a number of factors, particularly preexisting pulmonary abnormalities or previous contralateral cervical chordotomy. Preoperative assessment of the pulmonary function of patients who are about to have cervical chordotomy is emphasized to predict and anticipate potential postoperative respiratory failure.