Increased incidence of mitral valve prolapse in children with pectus chest wall deformity.

BACKGROUND: Pectus anomalies constitute 95% of chest anomalies. Pectus carinatum (PC) and excavatum (PE) are often asymptomatic in childhood. However, symptoms and signs such as chest pain, dyspnea, and mitral valve prolapse (MVP) can be seen in pectus anomalies. Demographic characteristics and accompanying cardiac signs in children with pectus deformity were investigated. METHODS: In this study, the clinical findings for children with pectus deformity, and the incidence of MVP and other concomitant heart diseases detected in echocardiographic examinations were evaluated. RESULTS: Eighty-two children with PE, 27 with PC, and 107 healthy children were included in this study. In the echocardiographic examination of PE, PC patients, and healthy children, MVP was detected with frequencies of 25%, 33%, and 2% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that pectus anomalies were associated with an increased incidence of MVP. All patients with pectus deformity should therefore undergo a screening echocardiogram in adolescence to assess for the presence of MVP.

Pectus excavatum, kyphoscoliosis associated with thoracolumbar spinal stenosis: a rare case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest wall defect. Thoracolumbar spinal stenosis and kyphoscoliosis was seen in patients with pectus excavatum. It can be caused by ossification of the ligamentum flavum, which is rare in patients with pectus excavatum. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a 26-year-old woman presented bilateral lower extremities weakness and numbness for two months, progressive worsening. She was diagnosed as thoracolumbar spinal stenosis with ossification of the ligamentum flavum, thoracolumbar kyphoscoliosis associated with pectus excavatum. The posterior instrumentation, decompression with laminectomy, and de-kyposis procedure with multilevel ponte osteotomy were performed. Her postoperative course was uneventful and followed up regularly. Good neurologic symptoms improvement and spinal alignment were achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Pectus excavatum, kyphoscoliosis associated with thoracolumbar spinal stenosis is rare, and thus her treatment options are very challengeable. Extensive laminectomy decompression and de-kyphosis procedures can achieve good improvement of neurologic impingement and spinal alignment.

[Correction of pectus excavatum and long-term outcome in adult]. / Korrektsiya voronkoobraznoi deformatsii grudnoi kletki i otdalennye rezul'taty lecheniya u patsienta 50 let.

Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest malformation characterized by symmetrical or asymmetric depression of the chest with deformation of the sternocostal complex. Pectus excavatum is often associated with other dysplastic diseases of connective tissue. Ravitch thoracoplasty and Nuss minimally invasive correction are the most common today. The authors report surgical correction of PE in a 50-years-old male who underwent Ravitch modified thoracoplasty with implantation of shape memory plate. Long-term treatment outcomes and technical properties of the plate after removing are analyzed.

Analysis of chest wall elevation after the Nuss procedure using 3D body scanning technique in patients with pectus excavatum.

PURPOSE: For the evaluation of the chest wall deformity, we adopted a non-invasive 3D body scanning system. The objective of this study is to evaluate surgical effect on the whole thorax using 3D scanning technique before and after Nuss procedure. METHODS: We performed 3D body scanning using Structure Sensor (Occipital Inc, USA) in 11 symmetric patients (average age 13 ± 3.2) under general anesthesia before and after Nuss procedure. Using the scanned data, the improved chest wall was analyzed using 3D-Rugle (Medic Engineering, Japan) imaging software. Preoperative and postoperative 3D data were super-imposed and a thoracic elevating distance in the line of the axial and sagittal section through the deepest point was calculated. Pre- and postoperative external sternal angle (ESA) were calculated from the scanned data. RESULTS: Mean thoracic elevation distance at the deepest point was 38.6 ± 6.1 mm and it was 28.4 ± 5.1 mm and 19.4 ± 4.9 mm at 4 cm and 8 cm cranial side, respectively. Average ESA improved from 3.9 ± 1.6 degrees to 15.0 ± 1.1 degrees after the operation. CONCLUSION: Chest depression was effectively elevated 39 mm at the deepest point after Nuss procedure. An indirect elevation effect by pectus bars was found on the wide area of the anterior chest.

[Intercostal nerve cryoablation in correction of pectus excavatum in adults]. / Krioablyatsiya mezhrebernykh nervov pri korrektsii voronkoobraznoi deformatsii grudnoi kletki u vzroslykh. Pervyi opyt v Rossii.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an effectiveness of cryoanalgesia in older patients with pectus excavatum and to determine feasibility of further research. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have developed an original technique of intercostal nerve cryoablation for correction of pectus excavatum in adults. The results of intercostal nerve cryoablation during correction of pectus excavatum in 10 older patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Postoperative outcomes were followed-up over a period of 4 - 12 months. There were no perioperative surgical complications. In 1 case, moderate pain syndrome persisted for 3 months after surgery (mean VAS score 2±1.3). In 9 months, mean VAS score was 0.6±0.6 in a month after surgery. CONCLUSION: Intercostal nerve cryoablation in correction of pectus excavatum in adults may be an alternative to the current methods of regional analgesia. Further research is requried to achieve objective information.

Physician-Estimated Depth as a Screening Tool for Computed Tomography Evaluation of Pectus Excavatum.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common congenital chest wall anomaly with a reported incidence of 1/300 to 1/400 live births and a male predominance. Preoperative evaluation of defect severity typically requires a calculation of the Haller index (HI) and/or correction index (CI) using computed tomography (CT) or x-rays. The purpose of this study was to determine whether physician-estimated depth (PED), a bedside screening tool, could be used to identify a subset of pediatric patients in whom CT was unnecessary. METHODS: After institutional review board approval (IRB #032018-091), we retrospectively reviewed all patients with a diagnosis of PE between 2009 and 2018 at our academic pediatric center. Demographic information including age, sex, and body mass index were abstracted. Imaging was reviewed to obtain HI and CI and to retrospectively calculate PED. The PED is calculated at the bedside by measuring the depth of the pectus at the site of greatest depression relative to a horizontal surface laid across the deformity. For this retrospective study, we calculated the CT-derived PED by measuring the depth from the horizontal on the respective CT images. Patients without imaging studies and patients with pectus carinatum, arcuatum, or mixed deformities were excluded from this study. RESULTS: A total of 94 patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 82% were male, with a median age of 15 y. Patients were further subdivided by BMI, with 46% of patients having a BMI of <18.5 kg/m2 (i.e., underweight), whereas 54% of patients had a BMI of ≥18.5 kg/m2. Using a threshold PED of 2 cm, patients with a BMI of <18.5 kg/m2 had correct classification rates of 93% and 95% using PED relative to HI and CI, respectively. Patients with a BMI of ≥18.5 kg/m2 had correct classification rates of 80% and 88% using PED relative to HI and CI, respectively, at the same 2 cm threshold. CONCLUSIONS: PED is a viable screening tool for the preoperative evaluation of PE with a 2 cm threshold providing the combination of high sensitivity, specificity, and correct classification rates especially in underweight patients.

The costochondral length in patients with pectus excavatum is longer than that of the normal thorax.

PURPOSE: Recently, several investigators reported that costal cartilage does not overgrow in pectus excavatum (PE). We wished to clarify whether costochondral length is longer in PE than the normal thorax and we tried to clarify the change of the shape of precordial concavity according to the growth in PE. METHODS: We evaluated 243 CT axial images of patients with PE and 246 CT axial images of patients without thoracic deformity. We divided the fifth costal cartilage into several lengths. We considered each part to be a straight line and calculated the length of the lines. We compared the approximate costochondral length between PE and normal thorax. We analyzed the distance between both anterior tips of fifth rib, and the ratio of the width and the depth of concavity to thoracic diameter in PE. CONCLUSIONS: The costochondral length in patients with PE is highly likely to be longer than that of the normal thorax. The length of costal cartilage may be longer in asymmetric PE than symmetric PE. It may start in infantile period in PE that the thoracic shape turns into asymmetry from symmetry. The precordial concavity of PE may be shaped by overgrowth of both costal cartilages and ribs.

The effect of pectus excavatum deformity on lung volume: fact or myth?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Most of the previous studies evaluating lung volume of pectus excavatum (PE) patients were based on spirometric measurements. We aimed to calculate lung volume of patients with PE and compare them with lung volume of patients without chest wall deformity using CT volumetry. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, preoperative chest CT of PE patients who underwent minimal invasive procedure between January 2012 and February 2018, were evaluated retrospectively. As a control group, age and sex matched patients who underwent chest CT scan in the same period were enrolled. Total, right and left lung volumes were calculated using an automated software. Haller indexes were measured for both groups. Lung volumes and Haller indexes compared between the two groups. We also compared left and right lung volumes in both groups. We evaluated whether there is a correlation across the Haller index and total lung volume. RESULTS: Total, right and left lung volumes were not statistically different between the two groups. While left lung volumes were significantly smaller in PE group (p = 0.041), there was no significant difference between the left and right lung volume in the control group (p = 0.12). Haller index and total lung volume showed no significant correlation between patients with the same age and gender (p = 0.14, R = -0.3). CONCLUSIONS: PE deformity does not reduce lung volume when compared to age and sex matched control group. Quantitative CT volumetric evaluation of lung gives valuable data about lung volume.

Perioperative Management and In-Hospital Outcomes After Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum: A Multicenter Registry Report From the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Improvement Network.

BACKGROUND: There are few comparative data on the analgesic options used to manage patients undergoing minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE). The Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Improvement Network was established to investigate outcomes for procedures where there is significant management variability. For our first study, we established a multicenter observational database to characterize the analgesic strategies used to manage pediatric patients undergoing MIRPE. Outcome data from the participating centers were used to assess the association between analgesic strategy and pain outcomes. METHODS: Fourteen institutions enrolled patients from June 2014 through August 2015. Network members agreed to an observational methodology where each institution managed patients based on their institutional standards and protocols. There was no requirement to standardize care. Patients were categorized based on analgesic strategy: epidural catheter (EC), paravertebral catheter (PVC), wound catheter (WC), no regional (NR) analgesia, and intrathecal morphine techniques. Primary outcomes, pain score and opioid consumption by postoperative day (POD), for each technique were compared while adjusting for confounders using multivariable modeling that included 5 covariates: age, sex, number of bars, Haller index, and use of preoperative pain medication. Pain scores were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction. Opioid consumption was analyzed using a multivariable quantile regression. RESULTS: Data were collected on 348 patients and categorized based on primary analgesic strategy: EC (122), PVC (57), WC (41), NR (120), and intrathecal morphine (8). Compared to EC, daily median pain scores were higher in patients managed with PVC (POD 0), WC (POD 0, 1, 2, 3), and NR (POD 0, 1, 2), respectively (P < .001-.024 depending on group). Daily opioid requirements were higher in patients managed with PVC (POD 0, 1), WC (POD 0, 1, 2), and NR (POD 0, 1, 2) when compared to patients managed with EC (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate variation in pain management strategies for patients undergoing MIRPE within our network. The results indicate that most patients have mild-to-moderate pain postoperatively regardless of analgesic management. Patients managed with EC had lower pain scores and opioid consumption in the early recovery period compared to other treatment strategies.

Differences in myocardial strain between pectus excavatum patients and healthy subjects assessed by cardiac MRI: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate differences in myocardial strain between pectus excavatum (PE) patients and healthy subjects (HS) assessed by cardiac MRI using the feature-tracking algorithm. METHODS: Cardiac MRI was performed in 14 PE patients and 14 HS (9:5 male to female in each group; age 11-30 years) using a 3T scanner. Post-examination analysis included manual biventricular contouring with volumetry and ejection fraction measurement by two independent radiologists. Dedicated software was used for automated strain assessment. RESULTS: In five of the PE patients, the right ventricular ejection fraction was slightly impaired (40-44 %). PE patients had a significantly higher left ventricular longitudinal strain (P=0.004), mid (P=0.035) and apical (P=0.001) circumferential strain as well as apical circumferential strain rate (P=0.001), mid right ventricular circumferential strain (P=0.008) and strain rate (P=0.035), and apical right ventricular circumferential strain (P=0.012) and strain rate (P=0.044) than HS. The right ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate did not differ significantly between PE patients and HS. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial strain differs significantly between PE patients and HS. Higher myocardial strain in the mid and apical ventricles of PE patients indicates a compensation mechanism to enhance ventricular output against basal sternal compression. KEY POINTS: • The right ventricle is frequently affected by the pectus excavatum deformity. • Cardiac MRI revealed differences in myocardial strain in pectus excavatum patients. • Pectus excavatum patients exhibited higher strain in the mid/apical ventricles. • A compensation mechanism to enhance ventricular output against sternal compression is possible.

Thoracoscopy Assisted Minimally Surgery (NUSS procedure) for Pectus Excavatum vs. Novel Modified NUSS procedure - A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to evaluate the efficacy of thoracoscopy assisted minimally surgery (NUSS procedure) for pectus excavatum and novel modified NUSS procedure by comparing the data of patients of pectus excavatum who had undergone novel modified NUSS Procedure or NUSS procedure. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed, involving 132 cases of patients with pectus excavatum collected from Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Xinhua Hospital cardio-thoracic surgery between Jan. 2009 and Jan. 2012. The 132 patients were strictly divided into two groups: Group A included 76 cases that underwent a novel modified NUSS procedure; Group B included 56 cases that underwent NUSS procedure. Compared data included gender, age, operative time, blood loss, postoperative hospital staying and clinical variables and demographic were compared with univariable analysis. RESULTS: No statistically significant correlations were observed in the two groups, such as age (12.67±4.793 years vs. 12.20± 6.423 years), sex, and other clinical data (P > 0.05). In Group A, postoperative hospitalization time (3.95±0.487 days vs. 6.07±1.412 days), operation time (46.28±12.218 minutes vs. 72.23±24.270 minutes), and blood loss (7.37±4.863 ml vs. 16.93±14.002 ml) were significantly better than those in Group B (P < 0.05), shortening hospitalization time, reducing costs, meaning statistically significant differences. There was no recurrence in Group A and Group B after operation. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that novel modified NUSS procedure is less invasive, having rapid recovery, shortening the time of hospital stay, and reducing hospital cost. Thus, it is safe, worth promoting, and is widely being used.

Symptoms in Pectus Deformities: A Scoring System for Subjective Physical Complaints.

Background The literature is silent on the relationship between symptoms and the Haller index. Nor is there a classification of the severity of the physical complaints. Materials and Methods Retrospectively, data from 128 patients (102 funnel, 25 pigeon chest patients, and 1 mixed type) were evaluated. To objectify the symptoms, we developed a score to describe the level of physical ailments. This score includes 10 different symptoms as well as the situation or frequency in which they occur and an impact factor. This depends on how much they affect everyday life. Results Pectus excavatum patients express physical complaints more frequently than pectus carinatum patients who actually suffer more from psychological stress. We could not find a correlation between the Haller index and symptoms or levels of ailment. Conclusion Pectus deformities are likely to cause physical and psychological complaints. Since the subjective symptoms did not show any correlation to the chest severity index, they are supposed to be independent from the deformity's extent.

Measurement of sternal curvature angle on patients with pectus excavatum.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum (PE) is a chest deformity characterized by marked sternal depression. The objective of this study was to quantify the sternal curvature observed in patients diagnosed with PE using the sternal curvature angle (SCA). METHODS: A retrospective review of lateral chest X-rays of patients with PE from 2006 to 2013 was performed. The SCA was measured in a manner similar to the method of Cobb's angle is used to measure spinal curvature. SCA and Haller index were calculated from the chest X-rays for all patients. RESULTS: Lateral chest X-rays of 202 PE and 196 normal control patients were analyzed. The mean SCA ± SD of PE patients was 40.56° ± 12.88° compared to 22.02° ± 7.65° for normal patients. The difference was statistically significant with a p value of <0.0001. No significant concordance between SCA and Haller index measurements in the PE group was found (Kendall τ = -0.00015, p value = 0.9975). CONCLUSION: The difference in sternal curvature as measured by the sternal curvature angle between the pectus excavatum and normal patients was statistically significant. Our data suggest that sternal depression evident in PE patients is not a simple linear depression of the sternum but due to curvature in the sternal body.

Periareolar Access for Pectus Excavatum Correction with Silicone Implants: A New Method to Minimize Postoperative Scars-Review of the Literature, Considerations and Statistical Analysis of Clinical Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum (PE) is one of the most frequent thoracic malformations. Generally, the malformation is not associated with functional disorders and often constitutes an aesthetic alteration with significant psychological distress. OBJECTIVES: To reduce the visibility of the residual scarring produced by corrective surgery and to improve the aesthetic outcome, the authors propose a new prosthetic implant technique through a periareolar access. METHODS: From January 2005 to January 2015, 11 patients affected with PE underwent the surgical procedure with a sternal prosthesis implanted through a periareolar access with the help of a fiberscope. The preoperative evaluation of the perception of the malformation and postoperation results were made using different questionnaires. The data collected in our series were compared with that reported in 4 different papers where other forms of access were used: sternal, inframammary and transumbilical. RESULTS: No major complications or dislocation of the implants were reported. Among the complications, 6 postoperative seromas were reported. The patients' perception of improvement through the use of 2 questionnaires and an evaluation scale showed substantial improvement in all the aesthetic outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The periareolar technique provides excellent cosmetic results compared to the sternal one. This access causes fewer complications and necessitates a shorter average hospital stay than the sternum access. To conclude, according to what is shown in the literature, periareolar access seems to be a quicker procedure, requiring a shorter stay in hospital, and results in scars that can more easily be hidden and are more accepted by patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Incidence and Classification of Chest Wall Deformities in Breast Augmentation Patients.

Although chest wall deformities (CWDs) are seen four times more often in males than in females, most patients who consult plastic surgery clinics in our country are females. Breast augmentation and augmentation mastopexy were performed with a total of 812 breast implants in 406 patients. Forty-three of these patients had various CWDs. The CWD patient ages ranged from 18 to 43 years. Patients were observed for 6 months to 8 years (mean of approximately 3 years). Pectus excavatum (PE) was present in 22 patients, pectus carinatum (PC) in five patients, Poland syndrome (PS) in two patients, sunken chest deformity (SCD) in three patients, barrel chest deformity (BCD) in five patients, body builder deformity (BBD) in three patients, and long upper chest wall (LCW) in three patients. None of the patients had functional or cardiac deformities. A total of 86 round, anatomically textured gel implants in various profiles were used within a range of implant volumes for all patients. There were no serious complications in the 43 CWD patients. The frequency of CWDs in the total population of 406 patients was approximately 10.6%. PE was present in 51% (22/43) of the patients with CWDs. The deformity rates among patients who underwent augmentation mammoplasty were as follows (%): PE, 5.4; PC, 1.23; PS, 0.5; SCD, 0.73; BCD, 1.23; BBD, 0.73; and LCW, 0.73. The three most common deformities observed in this study were PE, PC, and BCD. The least common deformity was PS. Patients with CWDs should be carefully evaluated preoperatively, and all the associated measurements and calculations must be meticulously performed. The implant selection may differ according to the deformity pattern. For example, in patients with PE, prostheses with larger base diameters cover the deformity better. Although high-profile prostheses are preferred on the affected side in cases of PS and SCD, low- or middle-profile prostheses are preferred on the opposite side. Despite this common consensus, there was an asymmetry of approximately 1 cm between the sides, as observed postoperatively. However, the patients did not express dissatisfaction with this situation. Low-profile prostheses should be preferred for PC and BCD protruding CWDs because asymmetry becomes more prominent and over-projection occurs more frequently in cases of high-profile prostheses. The BBD projection is also a problem. For this reason, high-profile prostheses should be preferred in these patients. It is possible to obtain satisfactory results by using appropriate breast implants in patients with CWDs. Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

[Pectus excavatumn and carinatum in children and adolescents : what to say, what to do ?] / Pectus excavatum et carinatum chez l'enfant et l'adolescent : que dire, que faire ?

In children presenting with a pectus excavatum (PE) or pectus carinatum (PC) an underlying syndrome including Marfan's syndrome needs to be excluded. In adolescents, severe chest wall deformities may cause cardiac or respiratory problems but most commonly they have a psychological impact. The conservative treatment is a Vacuum Bell for PE, and a Dynamic Compression System for PC ; they play an increasing role in young patients. These devices need to be worn multiple hours per day for several months for an optimal result. Surgery is usually reserved for adolescents. The Nuss procedure for PE, also known as minimal invasive repair of PE offers excellent results. Sterno-chondro-plasty with stabilisation of the sternum with struts clipped to the ribs offers the same good results for PC. In our opinion, a multidisciplinary approach is preferable.

En présence d'un thorax en entonnoir (pectus excavatum, PE) ou en carène (pectus carinatum, PC), une affection syndromique, dont la maladie de Marfan, doit être recherchée. La déformation, avant tout disgracieuse, peut générer des troubles psychologiques chez l'adolescent, et des désordres cardiorespiratoires dans les formes sévères. Les traitements conservateurs sont très utiles chez le jeune : cloche aspirante pour PE ou corset dynamique de compression pour PC. Ils sont portés quelques heures par jour pendant plusieurs mois selon un « contrat moral ¼ établi avec l'enfant. La chirurgie peut être négociée chez l'adolescent. La technique mini-invasive par thoracoscopie de Nuss offre des résultats satisfaisants dans les PE. Il en est de même des sternochondroplasties fixées par des attelles-agrafes pour les PC. Un avis pluridisciplinaire est utile.

[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.

Previously Complicated Nuss Procedure Does Not Preclude Blind Removal of the Bar.

BACKGROUND: Nuss procedure has become the procedure of choice for well-selected patients with pectus excavatum. Perioperative complications may pose difficulty during the subsequent bar removal due to adhesions and tissue plane disruptions during the initial surgery and repair. This report describes bar removal experience in patients whose Nuss procedures were complicated by cardiac injury, pericardial breach, and lung parenchyma/diaphragm injury during the initial procedure. METHODS: A total of 529 patients who underwent Nuss procedure between 2007 and 2014 were recorded in a prospective database. Twenty patients with complications (cardiac injury [n = 1], pericardial breach [n = 3], and lung parenchyma/diaphragm injury [n = 16]) were identified. All bars were removed via subcutaneous tissue dissection, without intrathoracic visualization. RESULTS: Average duration of bars was 36 months (±16 months). All bar removal procedures were completed without any need for extra interventions with negligible blood loss. Eighteen patients were able to be discharged within 2 postoperative days. CONCLUSION: Blind bar removal in patients with previously complicated Nuss procedure seems safe and no other interventions (videothoracoscopy, subxiphoid incision, etc.) during bar removal seem to be necessary.

Emerging Fixation Technique to Prevent Pectus Bar Displacement: Needlescope-Assisted 3-Point Fixation.

BACKGROUND: Bar flipping displacement is one of the most common complications after the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum. We evaluated the results of a modified Nuss procedure with needlescope-assisted bar fixation. METHODS: The records of 41 patients with pectus excavatum who underwent single pectus bar insertion with the Nuss procedure between July 2011 and August 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: those who did not undergo 3-point fixation (group A) and those who did undergo 3-point fixation (group B). RESULTS: There were 36 male patients and 5 female patients with a mean age of 10.7 ± 8.3 years (range: 3-36 years). The postoperative Haller index (HI) (2.61 ± 0.42) was significantly lower than the preoperative HI (3.91 ± 1.07; p < 0.01). The angle of the initial bar position was 5.59 ± 7.37 degrees in group A and 8.52 ± 9.61 degrees in group B, with no significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). The rate of reoperation to correct bar displacement was lower in group B (3.3%) than in group A (9.1%). CONCLUSION: Needlescope-assisted 3-point fixation of the bar was performed without an additional skin incision and showed a low rate of reoperation to correct displacement of the pectus bar.

Scoring of Deformed Costal Cartilages Reduces Postoperative Pain after Nuss Procedure for Pectus Excavatum.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to elucidate whether or not scoring deformed cartilages reduces postoperative pain after the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum patients. METHODS: A total of 46 pectus excavatum patients for whom the Nuss procedure was conducted were included in the study. The patients were categorized into two groups, depending on whether or not the supplementary maneuver of scoring deformed cartilages was performed in addition to the Nuss procedure. Patients for whom deformed costal cartilages were scored were categorized as the Scoring Group (n = 24); those who received no such scoring were categorized as the Non-Scoring Group (n = 22). After evaluating the maximum stresses occurring on the thoraces by means of dynamic simulation using finite element analyses, intergroup comparison of the maximum von-Mises stress values was performed. Furthermore, after quantifying postoperative pain as the frequency with which patients injected anesthetics through an epidural pain-control system within 2 postoperative days, the degree of pain was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The maximum stresses occurring on the thorax were significantly greater for the Non-Scoring Group than for the Scoring Group; injection frequency was also greater for the Non-Scoring Group (average 4.9 times for 2 days) than for the Scoring Group (average 2.5 times for 2 days). CONCLUSION: High stresses occur due to the performance of the Nuss procedure, causing postoperative pain. The stresses can be reduced by performing supplementary scoring on deformed cartilages. Accordingly, postoperative pain is reduced.