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Case report
Diaphragmatic paralysis in COVID-19: a rare cause of postacute sequelae of COVID-19 dyspnoea
  1. Nupur Dandawate1,
  2. Christopher Humphreys1,
  3. Patrick Gordan1,2 and
  4. Daniel Okin3,4
  1. 1Department of Medicine, Salem Hospital, Salem, Massachusetts, USA
  2. 2Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  3. 3Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  4. 4Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Daniel Okin; dokin{at}mgh.harvard.edu

Abstract

We describe a 56-year-old female patient hospitalised with COVID-19 in April 2020 who had persistent respiratory symptoms after radiographic and microbiologic recovery. X-ray of the chest demonstrated an elevated right hemidiaphragm while fluoroscopy confirmed unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis. Symptoms resolved gradually, concurrent with restoration of right hemidiaphragm function. Thus, we describe a rare cause of postacute sequelae of COVID-19 dyspnoea.

  • COVID-19
  • adult intensive care
  • lung function

This article is made freely available for use in accordance with BMJ’s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.

https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usage

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2021-246668

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @nd1920, @danokin

    • Contributors ND wrote the first draft of the manuscript and edited all subsequent versions. CH and PG provided intellectual guidance and edited and approved the final manuscript. DO supervised the project, wrote the first draft of the manuscript and edited all subsequent versions.

    • Funding National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (T32 HL116275).

    • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.