Introduction
In the case of funnel chest (pectus excavatum), the chest wall is drawn inwards. The funnel chest is congenital and is often only a cosmetic disadvantage. It can also develop in connection with other diseases such as Marfan syndrome or fetal alcohol syndrome.
If the funnel chest is very pronounced, those affected can suffer from symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, chest and back pain or heartburn. If the function of the organs located in the thorax, lungs and heart, is severely restricted by the deformity of the chest wall, surgical funnel chest correction should be performed. Get more general information about: Funnel chest
These surgical methods are available
There are various surgical procedures that are used in the case of a very pronounced funnel chest. On the one hand there is the so-called minimally invasive method according to Nuss. Here the chest is not opened directly, but through two small accesses on the lateral chest wall – especially in children and adolescents with symmetrical funnel chest (the depression is equally deep on both sides) – metal brackets are inserted, with which the deformed rib cartilage is bent and stabilized in the newly bent position.
On the other hand, there are open surgical methods: In the Ravitch method, the chest wall is exposed with a large incision and deformed rib cartilage is removed. In the Erlanger method – another open surgical technique – the rib cartilage attachments of the lower ribs are sutured in the corrected position and stabilized with metal brackets. Furthermore, there are surgical methods in which silicone implants are used (especially for cosmetic, not very pronounced funnel chest).
The most complex method is the so-called reverse plastic surgery. In this procedure, the entire sternum and the rib cartilage attachments are removed and re-inserted upside down, so that the previous recess now faces outwards. This surgical method is also more demanding, as blood vessels have to be cut and then reconnected to the blood system.
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