[Chest Wall Deformities in Children and Adolescents]. / Brustwanddeformitäten bei Kindern und Jugendlichen.

Chest wall deformities as a whole are relatively common in children and adolescents, although they comprise a wide spectrum of entities, some of them rare. Pectus excavatum has the highest prevalence. While some patients are asymptomatic, others suffer from substantial limitations. All symptomatic patients should be offered treatment. Minimally invasive surgical correction is the more effective option of treatment, besides the alternative application of a suction bell. Pectus carinatum and combined manifestations of chest wall deformities can also lead to physiological and psychosocial impairment and require treatment tailored to the individual patient in such cases. Syndromal chest wall deformities, such as Jeune syndrome, comprise a separate group of rare diseases that are associated with considerable, occasionally life-threatening comorbidities. These patients should be cared for in centres with appropriate expertise in an interdisciplinary and multimodal manner. This review discusses the different chest wall deformities encountered in paediatric surgical practice, along with their significance and possible therapeutic approaches.

Comparison of physical functions and psychosocial conditions between adolescents with pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum and healthy controls.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to compare the physical and psychosocial conditions of adolescents with pectus excavatum (PE) and pectus carinatum (PC), who had mild-severe deformities, with those of healthy controls (HC). METHODS: This study included 180 adolescents (aged 10-18 years) with pectus deformity [PE (n = 90) and PC (n = 90)] and 90 age-matched HC. The following parameters were evaluated for each participant: clinical parameters, perceived appearance of the chest area (PAC), physical functions (grip strength, flexibility, muscle strength, endurance, physical activity), posture, psychosocial conditions, and quality of life (QOL). RESULTS: Patients with PE and PC had a lower body weight, a worse, a poorer posture, lower scores for physical functions compared to the HC group (p < 0.001, all). The PE group had lower scores (p < 0.05) for some psychosocial conditions and quality of life subscales compared to the HC and PC (except for the QOL) group (p < 0.05). The PC group had a poorer posture compared to the PE group (p < 0.05). PAC was associated with physical functions and psychosocial status (r = 0.19-0.40, p < 0.05) but pectus severity was not associated with these parameters (r = 0.02-0.12, p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that all adolescents with mild, moderate, or severe pectus deformity should undergo a biopsychosocial evaluation, receive psychosocial support, and be referred for physiotherapy.

Improvement in Polysomnographic Objective Sleep Quality in Adults with Pectus Excavatum After the Nuss Procedure.

BACKGROUND: Patients with pectus excavatum have a poorer subjective sleep quality and quality of life than the general population. The Nuss procedure has been shown to improve these patients' quality of life, but data regarding their postoperative sleep quality are lacking. We aimed to evaluate the objective sleep quality of adults with pectus excavatum before and after the Nuss procedure. METHODS: Twenty-eight participants completed this study. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores for daytime sleepiness, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores for subjective sleep quality, and overnight polysomnography for objective sleep quality were evaluated before and 6 months after the Nuss procedure. RESULTS: Subjective sleep quality improved after the Nuss procedure. The median PSQI score decreased from 7 [interquartile range (IQR): 5; 9] to 5 (IQR: 4; 7, p = 0.029); the median percentage of poor PSQI sleep quality decreased from 64.3 to 35.7% (p = 0.048). The median percentage of rapid eye movement sleep significantly increased after surgery [15.6% (IQR: 12.2%; 19.8%) vs. 20.4% (IQR: 14.5%; 24.9%), p = 0.016]. Sleep interruptions also improved, with the median arousal index decreasing from 9.5 (IQR: 4.8; 18.2) to 8.2 (IQR: 4.3; 12.1; p = 0.045). However, there was no significant change in ESS scores after surgery (p = 0.955). CONCLUSIONS: Pectus excavatum may be associated with poor subjective and objective sleep quality in adults, and the condition may improve after the Nuss procedure. For adults with pectus excavatum who report poor subjective sleep quality, polysomnography should be considered to assess their preoperative and postoperative sleep condition.

Early Consequences of Pectus Excavatum Surgery on Self-Esteem and General Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: An early observation after chest wall correction is direct inspection from the PE patient of their "new" thorax. Changes in self-perception may give raise to other psychological adaptations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the early changes in the fields of self-esteem, body image and QoL. METHODS: Prospective observational longitudinal multicenter cohort study. Self-esteem, emotional limitations and general health were assessed using the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) in patients under 18 and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-bref (WHOQOL-bref) was used for body image, psychological domain and overall QoL in patients over 16 years of age. Measurements were taken before surgery (T1) and 6 weeks (T2), and 6 months thereafter (T3). RESULTS: Scores on post-operative self-esteem were significantly higher compared with scores pre-operatively (p < 0.007). Also body image, psychological domain and emotional limitations showed significant improvement, respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.016. Significant improvement in the first three components was mainly achieved in the first 6 weeks post-operative. In emotional limitation, however, the largest change was between 6 weeks and 6 months. Overall quality of life in the WHOQOL-bref and general health domain in the CHQ showed no significant improvement in relation to the pre-operative scores. CONCLUSION: Post-operative PE patients after Nuss procedure showed an improved body image, increased self-esteem and increased psychological resilience in the first 6 months, with the most marked change in the first 6 weeks. Also emotional limitations changed significantly over time. The changes were not large enough to influence general QoL or general health significantly.

Do health beliefs affect pain perception after pectus excavatum repair?

PURPOSE: The pain experience is highly variable among patients. Psychological mindsets, in which individuals view a particular characteristic as either fixed or changeable, have been demonstrated to influence people's actions and perceptions in a variety of settings including school, sports, and interpersonal. The purpose of this study was to determine if health mindsets influence the pain scores and immediate outcomes of post-operative surgical patients. METHODS: As part of a multi-institutional, prospective, randomized clinical trial involving patients undergoing a minimally invasive pectus excavatum repair of pectus excavatum, patients were surveyed to determine whether they had a fixed or growth health mindset. Their post-operative pain was followed prospectively and scored on a Visual Analog Scale and outcomes were measured according to time to oral pain medication use. RESULTS: Fifty patients completed the Health Beliefs survey, 17 had a fixed mindset (8 epidural, 9 PCA) and 33 had a growth mindset (17 epidural, 16 PCA). Patients with a growth mindset had lower post-operative pain scores than patients with a fixed mindset although pain medication use was not different. CONCLUSION: This is the first usage of health mindsets as a means to characterize the perception of pain in the post-operative period. Mindset appears to make a difference in how patients perceive and report their pain. Interventions to improve a patient's mindset could be effective in the future to improve pain control and patient satisfaction.

[Differential approach for chest wall reconstruction for pectus excavatum in adults]. / Vybor metoda korrektsii voronkoobraznoi deformatsii grudnoi kletki u patsientov starshego vozrasta.

AIM: To perform the prospective non-randomized single-center trial of pectus excavatum correction in adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: For the period March 2012 - March 2016 64 patients aged 18-44 years were treated. Median age was 23 years. Male/female ratio was 41/23. All patients were included into standard survey protocol: chest MDCT, MRI of thoracic spine, pulmonary function test, echocardiography. Quality of life and complications rate after the Nuss procedure (n=50, 78.1%, group 1) and radical thoracoplasty using nikelid-titanium bar (n=14, group 2) were evaluated. RESULTS: There was earlier recovery in the 1st group: 3 (2; 4) and 6 (5; 7) days after minimally invasive and radical thoracoplasty, respectively. Postoperative Dindo-Clavien I-IIIa complications developed in 46 (71.8%) patients. Most of them did not require additional procedures. CONCLUSION: Nuss procedure is safe method and can be performed with good results in adults.

Automatic prebent customized prosthesis for pectus excavatum minimally invasive surgery correction.

Pectus excavatum is the most common deformity of the thorax. A minimally invasive surgical correction is commonly carried out to remodel the anterior chest wall by using an intrathoracic convex prosthesis in the substernal position. The process of prosthesis modeling and bending still remains an area of improvement. The authors developed a new system, i3DExcavatum, which can automatically model and bend the bar preoperatively based on a thoracic CT scan. This article presents a comparison between automatic and manual bending. The i3DExcavatum was used to personalize prostheses for 41 patients who underwent pectus excavatum surgical correction between 2007 and 2012. Regarding the anatomical variations, the soft-tissue thicknesses external to the ribs show that both symmetric and asymmetric patients always have asymmetric variations, by comparing the patients' sides. It highlighted that the prosthesis bar should be modeled according to each patient's rib positions and dimensions. The average differences between the skin and costal line curvature lengths were 84 ± 4 mm and 96 ± 11 mm, for male and female patients, respectively. On the other hand, the i3DExcavatum ensured a smooth curvature of the surgical prosthesis and was capable of predicting and simulating a virtual shape and size of the bar for asymmetric and symmetric patients. In conclusion, the i3DExcavatum allows preoperative personalization according to the thoracic morphology of each patient. It reduces surgery time and minimizes the margin error introduced by the manually bent bar, which only uses a template that copies the chest wall curvature.

[Psychological prophylaxis training for coping with postoperative pain. Long-term effects]. / Psychologisches Prophylaxetraining zur Bewältigung postoperativer Schmerzen. Langfristige Effekte.

INTRODUCTION: The present study was performed to investigate the effect of multidimensional psychological prophylaxis training focusing on coping with cognitive-emotional pain on recovery within the first 12 months after surgery. The training included the following three components: (1) education about pain, analgesia and psychological aspects of coping with pain, (2) training for coping with pain and (3) body-centered relaxation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the study 48 young male patients (surgical correction of a chest malformation) were assessed 1 day before surgery, at discharge and 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively concerning postoperative pain intensity and pain disability as well as pain anxiety, pain catastrophizing and pain hypervigilance. Additionally, 24 of these patients received training on cognitive-emotional coping with pain 1 day before surgery and 1-3 days after surgery (each session 1 h). RESULTS: The proportion of patients with clinically relevant improvement was significantly higher in the training group compared to the control group. This was the case for acute pain intensity (approximately 1 week after surgery), pain disability 3 months later and pain anxiety 12 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: The resurgence of pain anxiety after 12 months could only be found in the control group and could be due to the upcoming surgical removal of the transsternal metal implant. The prophylaxis training can therefore be seen as a protective factor for long-term management of surgery-related consequences and future pain experiences.

Experiences of living with funnel chest prior to corrective surgery: An interview study.

OBJECTIVES: Pectus excavatum, or funnel chest, causes both physical and psychosocial issues, affecting health-related quality of life. However, the literature on how funnel chest affects daily living prior to corrective surgery is sparse. Therefore, the study aimed to describe the experiences of living with funnel chest prior to correctional surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study had a qualitative exploratory design. Consecutive sampling was applied in which all individuals from a single cardiothoracic department scheduled for the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum were asked to participate. Nineteen participants, 17 men and two women, participated in the study. Individual telephone interviews were conducted from February 2020 until April 2021. The interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis using an inductive approach. RESULTS: The overall theme "To have or not to have a cavity in my chest, it could make a difference" was interpreted as the latent meaning of the participants' experiences. The theme included two subthemes with three categories each. The subtheme "The funnel chest puts a weight on my shoulders" describes the heavy burden the funnel chest places on the participants. The second subtheme, "This is me, but I want to change my future", describes that participants see the funnel chest as a part of themselves; nevertheless, they look forward to surgery and a life without it. CONCLUSION: The results emphasize the heavy burden funnel chest causes and the great limitations it places on the individual. It also highlights the importance of surgery and the hope for a better future for individuals with funnel chest.

Systematic review of physiological and psychological outcomes of surgery for pectus excavatum supporting commissioning of service in the UK.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum (PEx) is the most common congenital chest wall abnormality affecting 1 in 400 births in the UK. PEx is associated with significant physiological and psychological impairment. While readily surgically correctable, the benefits that surgery can bring have been debated and proven difficult to objectively measure. In the UK, this has led to the decommissioning of PEx surgery. The aim of this review is to conduct a systematic search of the literature on PEx surgery to assess physiological and psychological outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review of the MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase and Cochrane databases was performed. Articles were sought which included patients undergoing surgery for PEx and reported on changes in cardiopulmonary measures, symptoms, quality of life and psychological assessments before and after surgical repair. Last search was performed in July 2022 and relevant findings were synthesised by narrative review. RESULTS: Fifty-one articles were included in qualitative synthesis, with 34 studies relating to physiological outcomes and 17 studies relating to psychological and quality of life measures. Twenty-one studies investigated pulmonary function at rest. There was no change in forced vital capacity or forced expiratory volume in 1 second following open repair and transient reductions followed closed repair. In the 11 studies investigating echocardiography, transthoracic rarely demonstrated cardiac compression; however, transoesophageal demonstrated intraoperative relief in cardiac compression in severe cases. Sixteen studies investigated exercise testing (cardiopulmonary exercise testing, CPET), 12 of which demonstrated significant improvement following surgery, both in maximal oxygen consumption and oxygen pulse. Seventeen studies investigated quality of life, all but one of which showed improvement following repair of PEx. All papers that reported on patient satisfaction following surgery found high rates, between 80% and 97%. DISCUSSION: While the majority of studies to date have been small and data heterogeneous, the literature shows that for many patients with PEx, there exists a cardiopulmonary limitation that while difficult to objectify, is likely to improve with surgical repair. Resting parameters offer little yield in aiding this except in the most severe cases. CPET therefore offers a better option for dynamic assessment of this limitation and improvements following repair. Surgery significantly improves psychological well-being and quality of life for patients with PEx.

Influence of psychosocial characteristics of patients and opinions of their relatives on indication for surgical treatment of pectus excavatum.

BACKGROUND: To assess the subjective experience of patients and their parents or relatives about the existing pectus excavatum deformity and to contribute to the definition of indications for surgical treatment of this deformity. METHODS: The initial sample of psychosocial characteristics consisted of self-assessments and observations of patients (and parents) regarding their health, self-image, health care, possible environmental response to their physical appearance, expectations regarding treatment. A modified version of the original Nuss questionnaire on quality of life was used in the psychological part of the examination. RESULTS: The study included a sample of 58 patients aged 10 to 30 years, and a sample of 58 family members of the patient (parents, relatives). The experience of poor emotional status, withdrawals, and bad self-image in patients older than 15 years than younger were significant. The tendency for female patients to have a worse experience is pronounced and significant. The largest percentage of parents have an 'indecisive' or 'weakly expressed' attitude towards surgery. Parents at a significantly higher rate show greater concern for female children. CONCLUSION: A systematic evaluation of the psychosocial perception of patients and their relatives (who will consent for the operation) may be a useful diagnostic assessment before correcting an anterior chest wall malformation.

[Quality of life evaluation of the patients and parents satisfaction after Nuss procedure in the management of Pectus Excavatum]. / Avaliação da qualidade de vida dos doentes e pais dos doentes após tratamento do pectus excavatum com a técnica de Nuss.

Pectus Excavatum is the most common congenital deformity of the chest. Although Pectus Excavatum can be associated with heart or lung problems, the main indication for surgical correction of this congenital anomaly is the body image dissatisfaction. The Nuss technique is a minimally invasive procedure that allows the placement of an intrathoracic prosthetic convex bar, previously bended, which mobilize the sternum anteriorly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of satisfaction of the patients and parents after the application of the Nuss technique using the Pectus Excavatum Evaluation Questionnaire. All parameters of psychosocial character - self-image, difficulties in exposing the chest, frustration, sadness, social isolation and ridicule - found a statistically significant improvement after surgical correction of Pectus Excavatum from the perspective of patients and their parents. There was not a marked improvement and consensus regarding the overall physical performance of patients. Which is understandable, since, theoretically, the physical deformity is not responsible for significant limitations on exertion. The current surgical correction of Pectus Excavatum by the Nuss technique allows obtaining aesthetic results of the chest with the resolution of the main problems with body image. Increase awareness of health issues for psychosocial and physical factors which might be involved in this kind of deformities is important, especially when there is a satisfactory solution.

Health-related quality of life after Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Pectus excavatum (PE) can cause both physical and psychosocial symptoms and affect patients' health-related quality of life. Previous international studies have shown that the Nuss procedure increases both self-esteem and body image. The aim of the study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life in patients who have undergone the Nuss procedure for PE. METHODS: The study had a cross-sectional multicentre design. All patients (N = 420) who underwent the Nuss procedure for PE in 3 cardiothoracic departments in Sweden from 2000 to 2019 were invited to answer the RAND-36 and Nuss Questionnaire modified for adults. Genders were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Patients were divided into groups based on age at time of surgery (<20, 20-30 or >30 years) and analysed by the Kruskal-Wallis H-test with post-hoc analyses. RESULTS: A total of 236 patients returned the questionnaires; 82.2% were males. Men scored significantly better on the modified Nuss Questionnaire total (P = 0.01) and psychosocial (P = 0.02) subscales. Patients who had surgery at <20 years of age had significantly better scores on the same scales (P = 0.007 and 0.006, respectively) compared to patients aged 20-30 years at the time of surgery. However, no significant difference was seen in comparison with patients >30 years. Patients who had their bar removed had significantly better values on both scales. CONCLUSIONS: Male gender, young age at surgery and bar removal seem to be associated with better health-related quality of life after the Nuss procedure for PE.

Assessment of psychosocial functioning and its risk factors in children with pectus excavatum.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial functioning is poor in patients with pectus excavatum (PE). However, a comprehensive understanding of this issue does not exist. The aim of this study was to assess the severity of psychosocial problems as associated with PE, as well as to identify its risk factors. METHODS: A comparative study was performed at the Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences/Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital in Chengdu, China. Patients age 6 to 16 who admitted to the outpatient department for the evaluation or treatment for PE were included in the study. In addition to parental reports of child psychosocial problems on the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), parents also filled in other structured questionnaires, including socio-demographic variables, patients' medical and psychological characteristics. The severity of malformation was assessed by CT scan. For comparison, an age- and gender- matched control group was recruited from the general population. The socio-demographic and scores on CBCL were compared between patients and control subjects. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to examine risk factors for psychosocial problems in patients. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found with respect to social-demographic variables between children with PE and control subjects. Compared with control subjects, children with PE displayed higher prevalence of psychosocial problems in the different scales of the CBCL questionnaire such as 'withdraw', 'anxious-depressed', 'social problems' and 'total problems'. Both univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that age, severity of malformation, and being teased about PE were significantly associated with patients' psychosocial problems. CONCLUSIONS: The information derived from this study supports the opinion that children with PE have more psychosocial problems than children from the general population. Multiple medical and psychosocial factors were associated with patients' impairment of psychosocial functioning.

Body-image, self-concept and mental exposure in patients with pectus excavatum.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital anomaly of the sternum and anterior chest wall, which occurs about 3-4 times more often in boys than girls [1]. Although most patients do not report physical symptoms as cardiovascular and respiratory problems, they show a loss of self-esteem and a poor self-image. There exist very rare data about psychological state before the OP compared with data afterwards. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to examine psychological changes in body-image, self-concept and mental exposure in patients with pectus excavatum, who had undergone the Nuss procedure. METHODS: Seventeen patients (13 male, 4 female), who underwent 2003 a comprehensive psychological investigation, have been tested again in 2007 by means of the identical questionnaires to get postoperative data: OPE-FB (Wallisch; Operation-Expectation-Questionnaire), FKKS (Deusinger; Frankfurter Body Concept Scales) and SCL-90-R (Derogatis; Symptom Checklist Revised). The mean age at the second time of investigation was 19.6 years (SD = 2.5). The patients were classified into two groups based on a lower (n = 10) and a higher (n = 7) severity index of PE. Parents or a parent person were interviewed about the topics of OPE-FB by a structured interview. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon test. Interview data were evaluated with a content analysis. RESULTS: Nearly all patient's expectations in regard to the beneficial effect of the surgical procedure-investigated with the OPE-FB preoperatively-have been confirmed postoperatively. In patients with a lower severity index impairment in general interest in sports and improvements in self-assurance, health, self-acceptance of one's body and acceptance of one's body by others can be reported. Data from SCL-90-R, measuring mental exposure, had normal range. Interviews with relatives showed, that the external attribution could emphasize patient's data from the OPE-FB. CONCLUSIONS: The long-time follow-up can make us sure, that the Nuss procedure as a physical treatment has positive effects on physical as well as psychological aspects of young adults. The patient's confidence with the cosmetic result was very high, which reflects the excellent effects of the minimal invasive repair according to Nuss.

Surgical correction of the funnel chest deformity in children.

The aim of this study was to evaluate our results during and after the Nuss operation in children with pectus excavatum. We have performed the Nuss procedure in 128 patients with pectus excavatum since 2001, and 74 patients underwent bar removal. Of the 128 patients 96 were male and 32 were female; age ranged from eight to 21 years with an average of 13.8 years. In 46% of patients psychological reasons for operative treatment were dominant while in the other 54% of patients clinical signs were the indications. Complications in 128 patients included 36 pneumothorax, 28 of which resolved spontaneously. Postoperative pneumonia developed in six patients. In two patients we had infection of the implanted bar, and there were two patients with cellulitis. We had six patients with bar displacement and reoperation was needed. During the Nuss procedure we had one injury of the intercostal artery. We had pericardial tears in two patients without clinical significance. In two patients we had pericardial effusion six months after the Nuss procedure, requiring pericardiocentesis. In one patient we had fracture of the sternum. There were no complications following bar removal. After bar removal in 74 patients, 54 patients (72.9%) maintained excellent results with normal chest anatomy, good results were found in 16 patients (21.6%) with mild residual pectus and poor results in four patients (5.5%) with severe recurrence. Our experience with the Nuss procedure demonstrated excellent results with few minor complications.

[Repair for anterior chest wall deformity by Nuss procedure performed in young adults and older adolescents]. / Elülso mellkasfali deformitás Nuss szerinti rekonstrukciója fiatal felnotteken és idosebb kamaszokon.

Results of 86 minimally invasive anterior chest wall reconstructions for pectus excavatum by the method of Nuss are evaluated retrospectively. Complications, possible ways of avoiding those and technical details of the operation are discussed. Nuss method is also evaluated in terms of suitability patients' age. Minimally invasive anterior chest wall reconstructions were performed in 86 patients in the last seven years. The average age was 21.4 years. There were no severe intra-operative complications. Four dislocations of the metal bar (12 and 53 days after chest reconstruction) were observed and treated by Nuss-technique. One metal bar had to be removed on the 13th postoperative day for local septic complication, and another one for significant sterile dislocation 14 months after the operation. One patient asked for removal of the metal bar because of pain. In one case bleeding from a small side-branch of the internal mammary artery was stopped by VATS technique, a small superficial lung injury was treated by thoracic drainage. Over 90 percent of patients were satisfied with the cosmetic results. Operating time and length of hospital stay gradually decreased throughout the years. Nuss technique can be performed safely in young adults for pectus excavatum with excellent long-term results. Less pain and shorter operating time of minimally invasive repair are the advantages of the procedure. Age above 30 years and previous open chest correction increases the risk for operation.

[Pectus excavatum: not just a cosmetic problem]. / Trechterborst: niet alleen een cosmetisch probleem.

Pectus excavatum is the most common deformity of the anterior chest wall. Nevertheless, awareness amongst physicians is lacking and consequences of the diagnosis are often underestimated. Symptoms include cardiopulmonary symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue and exercise intolerance. Moreover, patients often have psychosocial problems and suffer from poor body image and lower quality of life. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended for diagnostic work-up and treatment, involving dedicated paediatricians, cardiologists and surgeons. Treatment can be non-surgical or surgical. Conservative options include physiotherapy and vacuum bell therapy. In symptomatic patients, surgical treatment is warranted from the age of 12-14 years. Minimally invasive repair with the Nuss bar technique is considered the gold standard for adolescents. Patients who are unsuitable for minimally invasive repair can be treated with open surgical correction, for example, via a modified Ravitch procedure. Early referral to a specialised centre is recommended.

The Outcome of the Single Step Questionnaire in Pectus Excavatum Patients is Phase Dependent.

INTRODUCTION: Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common chest wall deformity. Patients with PE may have cosmetic complaints, restricted physical capabilities, or both and may seek surgical correction. One method to assess satisfaction after surgery is the single step questionnaire (SSQ). Although the developers state that the SSQ produces a stabile score and only needs to be used once, we hypothesized that the score may depend on point in time after surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and eight patients from a longitudinal cohort of patients undergoing a Nuss bar placement for PE were selected. Mean age was 16.0 years (range: 12-29). SSQ was completed at 6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. Mean and median scores per question and total scores were calculated on each measurement moment. Overall scores were tested using the Friedman test. RESULTS: There were significant differences in overall SSQ scores (p < 0.009) throughout the postoperative period, especially between 6 weeks and 6 months (p = 0.006). Scores on general health, exercise capacity, impact on social life, pain during hospital stay, and after discharge changed also significant in the first 2 years after Nuss bar placement. CONCLUSION: There were significant differences in total SSQ score depending on the time of application postoperatively. However, the most clinical relevant difference was between 6 weeks and 6 months. Assessment of the overall satisfaction postoperative with the SSQ questionnaire should not be done with a single measurement but rather at different postoperative time intervals before and after 6 months postoperatively.

Caring for People With Untreated Pectus Excavatum: An International Online Survey.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum is a chest wall deformity with no known cause and no standardized guidelines for evaluation or management. There is a pressing need to characterize the symptoms that these individuals experience and to evaluate a potential mismatch between their expected and observed experiences with health care. We hypothesized that these individuals would feel that their health-care needs are not adequately met. METHODS: A total of 331 participants with untreated pectus excavatum from 47 countries recruited from the Pectus Awareness and Support Group completed a questionnaire about living with pectus excavatum. We focused on characterizing physical and psychosocial symptom frequency and whether these problems were discussed with providers during encounters related to pectus excavatum. RESULTS: A total of 46% and 31% of participants experience daily physical and psychosocial symptoms, respectively, but providers disproportionally focus on physical symptoms. Seventy-seven percent and 61% of participants thought their providers could do more to address their physical and psychosocial symptoms, respectively. Only 8% of participants were very satisfied after their most recent health-care visit about pectus excavatum. The overwhelming majority of participants have encountered providers that lacked basic knowledge about pectus. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this questionnaire expose a major discrepancy between expectations and delivery of care for people with pectus excavatum. These individuals should be routinely screened for both physical and psychosocial symptoms by general practitioners.