[Patients with diaphragmatic pacemakers].

Due to the implantation of diaphragmatic pacemakers, the hope and quality of life for those with upper spinal column injuries has increased considerably. Until about 10 years ago, these patients depended on a mechanical ventilator with all of its corresponding limitations. Nurses have had to learn how to use diaphragmatic pacemakers so they may provide patients with the specific treatment these make available and so that they may offer adequate health education to relatives of these patients. The greatest challenge for our profession is to succeed in having these patients abandon the hospital and integrate into society again. This article analyzes how diaphragmatic pacemakers work and the specific nursing treatment these patients require, placing emphasis on psycho-sociological aspects.