How to know if I have pectus excavatum

Experts in Thoracic Surgery define pectus excavatum as a deformity of the chest wall. This pathology consists of an apparent sinking of the sternum with respect to the costal structures that surround it.

What causes pectus excavatum?

The pectus excavatum is born from the defective development of the cartilage that binds the ribs to the sternum, giving rise to this positioning.

The goal is for the sternum to go to a more anterior position, in the same plane as cartilage and ribs. For this, the operation of classic pectus excavatum consists of removing the cartilage, release the sternum forward and put some type of osteosynthesis or mesh to keep it in the correct position. Subsequently, the Nuss technique was developed, with the placement under control by endoscopy of a rod that when rotated takes the sternum forward. It is less invasive than the classic operation, but only suitable at young ages when there is still no cartilage calcification and therefore have flexibility.

The future of surgical treatment is on the verge of arriving with the pectus up system , which allows even less invasive correction and probably replaces the Nuss technique.

Association with asthma and cardiac valvulopathies is only casual. What motivates the surgical correction is the psychic repercussion that it causes to those who suffer it.

The main consequence is the psychological with development of complexes that prevent normal social behavior. Also, if chronic lung disease is associated with age , its course is aggravated and there may be more complications in people who have pectus.