Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2008 Dec;41(6):803-806.

Nuss Procedures using a Transilluminated Introducer

• Lee SJ
• Baek KS
• Jeon CW
• Lee SY
• Lee CS

Abstract

The Nuss procedure has good cosmetic effects, but it could be cause of bleeding and organ injury during dissection of the anterior mediastinum. We have made an effort to overcome the defects of the traditional method through the anterior mediastinum, thus we developed a transilluminated introducer that made it safer and simpler to operate within a 1 cm incision only. A total of 67 patients underwent the Nuss procedure using the transilluminated introducer. Thirty-six patients underwent the procedure with the transilluminated introducer only (age<14 years). Thirty-one patients had an additional thoracoscopy (age> or =14 years). There were no major complications, such as massive bleeding or organ injury in the thoracic cavity during or after the Nuss procedure. Our findings demonstrated that the anterior mediastium could be dissected simply and safely by the use of a transilluminated introducer during the Nuss procedure without fatal major complications, such as bleeding and organ injury.

Keyword

Chest wall; Funnel chest; Complications; Instruments

MeSH Terms

Cosmetics
Funnel Chest
Hemorrhage
Humans
Mediastinum
Thoracic Cavity
Thoracic Wall
Thoracoscopy
Cosmetics