Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2001 Feb;34(2):167-172.

Surgical Management of Pectus Excavatum with Using Pectus Bar

• Hwang JJ
• Shin HK
• Kim DH
• Lee DY

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum is the most common deformity of anterior chest wall. Since the first surgical correction performed by Meyer et al. in 1911, various operative techniques have been developed. These methods, however, needed a large skin incision on the anterior chest wall and wide excision of costal cartilages. Nuss et al. has introduced a less invasive method of inserting a molded stainless steel bar through the small incisions on the lateral chest wall in young patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This retrospective analysis was performed on 14 cases of pectus excavatum corrected between Nov. 1999 and July 2000. The correction under 15 of age was done using one bar. Above 16 of age, we used two bars. RESULT: There were 11 male and 3 female patients with ranging 2 years to 52 years. The pectus index was 5.3+/-1.84 and asymmetric index was 1.06+/-0.03. They were transferred to general ward at the next day of operation. Mean hospital stays were 4.2 days. The postoperative complications were pneumonthorax in one, hemothorax in one and delayed pleural effusion in one and all complications were among adults.
CONCLUSION
We have corrected the pectus excavatum successfully using Nuss' method. In adults, the deformed walls were corrected with two bars but complications were higher than younger patients because of fully developed muscles and bones.

Keyword

Pectus excavatum; Funnel chest; Surgery method

MeSH Terms

Adult
Cartilage
Congenital Abnormalities
Female
Fungi
Funnel Chest*
Hemothorax
Humans
Length of Stay
Male
Muscles
Patients' Rooms
Pleural Effusion
Postoperative Complications
Retrospective Studies
Skin
Stainless Steel
Thoracic Wall
Stainless Steel