Early use of an implantable diaphragm pacing stimulator for a child with severe acute flaccid myelitis—a case report

Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) is a rare but serious condition affecting children, leading to muscle weakness and sometimes breathing difficulties. This case report explores using a diaphragm pacing system (DPS) early in a child with AFM to help her breathe. The diaphragm pacing system helped the child tolerate reduced ventilator settings and showed improved breathing ability with pacing.

• 1
  Direct stimulation of the diaphragm demonstrated contraction even when surface electrodiagnostics did not show diaphragmatic innervation.
• 2
  The patient was able to tolerate short bouts of reduced ventilation settings immediately following DPS placement.
• 3
  The patient demonstrated larger tidal volumes with active pacing than without, although she remained ventilator-dependent.