A rare case of diaphragmatic dysfunction following endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient with concomitant sleep disordered breathing

Abstract A 60-year-old male patient presented at our outpatient clinic with exertional dyspnoea and orthopnoea. He recently underwent a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). We documented a new right-sided unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (UDP) as well as severe obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) in this patient. The combination of this particular surgical method, the concomitant OSAS and the right side of the UDP make this a unique case. In this report we will briefly summarize several aspects of diaphragmatic dysfunction in the post-CABG setting, with a thorough focus on the role of ultrasound in its diagnosis and follow-up.