A surgical operation to crush the phrenic nerve in order to paralyse the diaphragm.
Surgical crushing of a portion of the phrenic nerve. This paralyzes the diaphragm on the side operated upon, which is then pushed up by the abdominal contents, so pressing on the lung and partially collapsing it. Deliberate collapsing of the lung was a technique formerly used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.