SDCH is involved in ongoing rehabilitation of a quadriplegic patient, taking care of Utah’s first diaphragmatic pacer recipient, allowing the patient to wean off of a ventilator for breathing and eventually discharge to home. Our team was able to increase the patient’s “off vent” time from just a few minutes to a few hours a day to eventually over 18 hours day.
Diaphragmatic pacing can be used in some patients with severe weakness or paralysis of the diaphragm as a means to eliminate or reduce the need for ventilator support.
“For the first time since being paralyzed in a bike accident, he experienced what he had always been looking forward to – the full life of breath.” ~ Spouse of patient
