Synonyms
- Pectus infundibiliforme (lat. ; funnel-shaped breast)
- Pectus excavatum (lat. : hollowed out breast)
Definition
The funnel chest is a deformation of the chest wall which is congenital. The ribs grow faster than the breastbone, resulting in a central retraction of the ribcage. The spinal column is not affected.
Summary
Funnel chest is a congenital retraction of the central thorax caused by an imbalance in the growth rate of ribs and sternum. Boys are more frequently affected than girls, and there is also a familial clustering. Depending on the extent to which the ribcage is retracted in the case of funnel chest, symptoms may occur.
Most dangerous is the displacement of the heart, which is less serious in the first decades of life, since the entire rib cage is still very elastic. During sports, however, complaints can occur because the heart cannot develop its full pumping capacity. The therapy is performed conservatively.
Surgical intervention is only necessary in cases of severe displacement of the heart with (possible) functional impairment. However, the psychological aspect must not be ignored either. Most patients suffer from their funnel chest.
In these cases, a surgical intervention must nevertheless be well thought through, since – as with any operation – dangers and complications lurk here as well. After surgery for funnel chest, the prognosis is good, but the patient has to take care of himself in any case and even the most obvious areas of everyday life (such as sleeping) are limited. Blue is the cartilage part of the rib (see ribs).
- 1st rib
- 12th rib
- SternumSternum
- Ribs – sternum – joint
Epidemiology
In about half of the cases, family clusters are known. Especially tall, slim people (asthenics) are affected. The full extent of the disease only becomes apparent at the age of about 6 to 10 years.
The funnel chest does indeed occur in family clusters. In one third of those affected, other family members have funnel chest, which suggests a genetic component in the development of this malformation. However, it is not yet known which genes are affected.
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