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Pectus Excavatum: Old Problem, Brief History, New Evidence

The presence of symptoms in patients with pectus excavatum is variable. Certainty chest and back pain is common and is probably musculoskeletal in origin. Another common complaint is the sensation of breathlessness, particularly on exertion. Poor posture, which is often present maybe a factor in the development of such pain and breathlessness. The psychological impact of the abnormal chest appearance is probably the most important symptom that patients with pectus excavatum complain of. In some, it can have serious consequences leading to withdrawn behavior, avoidance of certain activities like swimming or places such as the beach where the chest may be exposed and the development of intimate…

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 Pectus Excavatum: Consensus and Controversies in Clinical Practice

Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital anterior chest wall deformity. Currently, a wide variety of diagnostic protocols and criteria for corrective surgery are being used. Their use is predominantly based on local preferences and experience. To date, no guideline is available, introducing heterogeneity of care as observed in current daily practice.

 What Is Pectus Excavatum? Is it Treatable?

There is no treatment method other than surgery. Today, there are two types of surgery methods for this disease. The first is open surgery, also called the modified Ravitch technique, and the other is closed surgery, called Nuss surgery. Details and their advantages are as follows...

Articles of Interest

Chest wall disorders: When to seek treatment for pectus excavatum or carinatum

Parents have been told for years that pediatric chest wall deformities are simply a “cosmetic thing,” but research has shown that they can interfere with your child’s heart and lung function and impede their ability to participate in some daily activities and at a high level in sports. The cosmetic aspects of these conditions shouldn’t be discounted, either. Even mild cases of pectus excavatum or carinatum can make adolescents feel self-conscious about their appearance.

Do I have Severe or Mild Pectus Excavatum?

Pectus excavatum is commonly noticed in the early teen years, and many adults with pectus excavatum will have been aware of their symptoms for years. Symptoms can sometimes get worse with age.

Does Pectus Excavatum worsen with age?

The most important thing you need to know is that most people with Pectus Excavatum do not have visible symptoms to worry about in their daily lives, although many may have significant aesthetic concerns. When you are born with Pectus Excavatum, your chest already has a specific shape, even if it is not apparent. As you grow, this shape can become more pronounced, depending on when the condition is discovered. With increasing age, it is less likely to worsen. Pectus Excavatum can also lead to other new diagnoses that can worsen your health, such as emotional disturbances and self-esteem issues due to your aesthetic impairment. All of these can significantly affect your quality of life.

Does the vacuum bell fix pectus excavatum?

Studies have shown that proper use of a vacuum bell is one of the best, non-surgical ways to reduce the depth of pectus excavatum.

Early results following the Nuss operation for pectus excavatum – a single-institution experience of 383 patients

The Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum can be implemented with excellent early results and few complications. There is a surprisingly high demand for surgical correction of pectus excavatum and the number of referred patients continues to increase as patients learn about the ease of this procedure and its excellent results.

Heart Disease and Pectus Excavatum: An Underestimated Issue—Single Center Experience and Literature Review

PE is generally an isolated congenital chest wall abnormality, and, when associated with a heart disease, it can have severe life-threatening hemodynamic consequences due to mechanical compression on the heart for which surgical corrections should be considered.

Magnets May Pull Kids With Sunken Chests Out Of Operating Room

You may not have heard of pectus excavatum — or "sunken chest," as it's commonly known — but there's a good chance you know someone who was born with it. It's the most common deformity of the chest wall, affecting roughly one in 500 people — boys much more often than girls. And while sunken chest can be corrected with surgery, the procedure is invasive and very painful. Many families won't do it. But a new method using magnets and an external brace, developed by Michael Harrison, a pediatric surgeon at the University of California, San Francisco's Benioff Children's Hospital, could provide an alternative to the surgery.

Pectus Excavatum

The presence of symptoms in patients with pectus excavatum is variable. Certainty chest and back pain is common and is probably musculoskeletal in origin. Another common complaint is the sensation of breathlessness, particularly on exertion. Poor posture, which is often present maybe a factor in the development of such pain and breathlessness. The psychological impact of the abnormal chest appearance is probably the most important symptom that patients with pectus excavatum complain of. In some, it can have serious consequences leading to withdrawn behavior, avoidance of certain activities like swimming or places such as the beach where the chest may be exposed and the development of intimate relationships often at and important and vulnerable time of the patient's life. Rarely, in severe forms of pectus excavatum patients' doing vigorous exercise may complain of feeling faint or actually fainting.

Pectus excavatum, not always as harmless as it seems

Pectus excavatum is usually considered meaningless and without clinical significance. Pectus excavatum is commonly considered to be an incidental finding without clinical significance. It is usually found at physical examination or as a phenomenon reported in radiographic procedures. In the majority of cases it is ‘diagnosed’ in young patients. Signs are usually cosmetic, although severe cases may notice difficulties in breathing. The deformity of the chest wall is often noticed at birth, but becomes more pronounced in adolescents.

Pectus Excavatum: Expert Opinions and Guidelines

Pectus excavatum, also known as shoemaker's chest, is a deformity characterized by an inward depression of the rib cage. This condition can negatively affect the physical, psychological and social health of patients. Expert opinions and guidelines on the subject play an important role in improving the quality of life of patients.

Realizing I Had Pectus Excavatum Helped Me Accept My Unusual Cleavage

I found out about my pectus excavatum diagnosis when I was 42. Though the diagnosis came relatively late, I was relieved and grateful to have a name for something I’d tried to hide for most of my life. Finally I had proof that I wasn’t alone. I realized there must have been enough people to warrant naming the condition. I did some research, and it turns out I was right. Thanks to hours of Googling my newly discovered condition, I found whole forums devoted to life with pectus excavatum. People talked about their symptoms, their insecurities, and all the ways the condition affected them.

What are the Causes and Risk Factors of Pectus Excavatum (Sunken Chest)?

The etiology of pectus excavatum remains a subject of ongoing investigation within the medical community. While geneticists have not definitively established its genetic nature, there is growing evidence suggesting a familial predisposition to this condition. For instance, studies have indicated that 40% of children exhibiting these deformities have relatives with similar rib cage abnormalities. This familial occurrence raises questions about the genetic component of pectus excavatum.

Resources

Dr. Pectus

Welcome to Dr. Pectus, where we offer effective solutions to help you overcome pectus deformities and regain confidence. Explore our services and discover a path towards a healthier, happier you.

Life with Pectus

Our goal is to make you feel better. Living with pectus excavatum is hard, and we know from first-hand experience.

Mr. Pectus

Fix your sunken chest without a surgery...

Pectus Clinic

The Pectus Clinic was set up in 2014 to offer the best impartial advice for your pectus deformity and cut through the issues of poor, misleading or simply misguided information provided by non-specialists.

Pectus Up

Innovative surgical method that guarantees a minimally invasive extrathoracic solution for the correction of Pectus Excavatum.

PectusLab

If you are looking for non-surgical treatment solutions for pectus deformities, you are at the right place. As PectusLab, we focus on rib cage deformities and develop products that meet the needs of patients.

Penn Medicine

Pectus excavatum is due to too much growth of the connective tissue that joins the ribs to the breastbone (sternum). This causes the sternum to grow inward. As a result, there is a depression in the chest over the sternum, which may appear quite deep.

StatPearls

Approximately 95 percent of congenital chest wall anomalies are attributed to pectus deformities, with pectus excavatum being the most common. Pectus excavatum is characterized by a depression of the anterior chest wall resulting in a "funnel chest". While the defect involves the third to seventh costocartilages or ribs, the most severe aspect of the deformity occurs in the area of the xiphisternum.