ObjectiveTo explore the clinical efficacy of thoracoscopy-assisted modified Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum (PE) in children.MethodsThe clinical data of patients with PE who underwent thoracoscopy-assisted modified Nuss procedure from October 2013 to October 2020 in Daping Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsA total of 86 patients were collected, including 79 males and 7 females with a mean age of 14.03±3.36 years. The operations were performed successfully in all patients without intraoperative cardiac vascular injury or perioperative death. The mean operation time was 87.30±33.45 min, bleeding volume was 19.94±14.60 mL, and the postoperative hospitalization stay time was 6.89±2.59 d. Early postoperative complications included 2 patients of pneumothorax, 2 patients of wound fat liquefaction and infection, 2 patients of bar flipping and displacement. One patient had bar displacement 1 year after the surgery. The total complication rate was 8.14%. All patients were followed up for 3-42 months. The bars were taken out about 36 months after the surgery. According to the evaluation criteria of orthopedic effect, 68 (79.07%) patients were excellent, 10 (11.63%) patients were good, 5 (5.81%) patients were moderate and 3 (3.49%) patients were poor.ConclusionMinimally invasive and individualized shaping via the Nuss procedure for PE children is safe and convenient, with satisfied effect. It is worthy of popularization in the clinic.
ObjectiveTo summarize the clinical experience and investigate the safety and reliability of uniportal procedure for the correction of pectus excavatum (PE). MethodsFrom November 2010 to November 2015, 203 PE patients (164 males, 39 femalzs average age of 5.7±3.0 years, ranging from 2 to 19 years) underwent the correction operation with only single 2 cm incision on right lateral chest. There were 188 patients under 12 years of age and 15 patients above 12 years. According to Park classification, 176 patients were symmetric and 27 were asymmetric. ResultsAll operations were performed successfully. The average operating time was 16.1±5.2 min with a range of 4-65 min and the average postoperative hospital stay was 6.4±1.3 d, ranging from 4-14 d. A single incision was made on the right chest and only one bar was inserted in the patients. Postoperative follow-up was 1-56 months (mean, 27.6 months). There was no complication occurred such as bar turnover, displacement and redepressed sternum. Totally, 84 patients received bar removal procedure. ConclusionIn terms of operation time and surgical trauma, uniportal procedure for PE is superior to Nuss procedure. And there is no significant difference in the safety and effectiveness between two procedures. Uniportal procedure is especially suitable for the treatment of PE children under 12 years of age.
Pectus excavatum (PE) is a common congenital chest malformation in children, manifested by inward depression of the anteriorthorax wall, which can compress the normal tissues and organs in the chest and cause adverse effects on the physiology and psychology of patients. Surgery is the most important means of treating PE, and with the invention of Nuss surgery, the surgical treatment of PE has entered the minimally invasive era. At present, there are many indexes to evaluate the severity of thoracic malformations in PE patients, and selecting appropriate evaluation indexes is of great significance for the formulation of surgical protocols. As a physical and mental disease, PE's deformed thoracic appearance not only affects the function of thoracic organs, but also affects the psychological state of patients. Therefore, there is still controversy over whether the role of orthopedic surgery is to improve function or cosmetic plastic surgery. At the same time, the orthopedic efficacy and postoperative complications of the existing modified and novel surgical methods need to be further observed and evaluated. In addition, the design of surgical plan and the selection of surgical timing for PE combined with other diseases are also critical and controversial issues in clinical practice. Therefore, this article explores and reviews the controversial points in the current surgical treatment of PE.
ObjectiveTo summarize the experience of treating adult recurrent pectus excavatum without plate turnover.MethodsTwenty-seven patients with recurrent pectus excavatum treated by thoracoscopy-assisted placement without plate turnover from 2010 to 2019 in our hospital were enrolled. There were 23 males and 4 females with the age of 3-29 (12.81±7.79) years at the first operation, and 18-29 (21.74±3.56) years at this operation. Incision of 2-3 cm at bilateral axillary midline of the deepest point of pectus excavatum was made, and an auxiliary incision under xiphoid process was adopted according to the intraoperative situation.ResultsAll patients underwent thoracoscopy-assisted correction of pectus excavatum without bar turnover, and subxiphoid incision was performed in 11 patients. Twenty-five patients had one bar placed, and two patients required two bars. The operation time was 28-45 (33.00±6.44) min. Postoperative Haller index (2.95±0.40) was improved compared with preoperation (4.63±1.03). The postoperative hospital stay was 4-6 (4.00±0.32) day. All patients were followed up for 1-8 years. Complications included poor wound healing in 1 patient, and steel wire fracture and displacement in 1 patient. There was no plate rotation or bar displacement. Fourteen patients removed the bar 29-84 (40.36±13.93) months after the placement. Haller index was improved to 2.43-3.61 (2.86±0.35) during removal of steel plate. Untill June 2020, there was no recurrence of pectus excavatum.ConclusionThe treatment of adult recurrent pectus excavatum without plate turnover is satisfactory, and the protection of intercostal muscle and firm fixation is the key to ensure the success of operation and long-term effects.
Objective To explore the clinical application effect and technical advantages of percutaneous suspension technique via sternal elevation device-assisted pectus excavatum (PE) correction. Methods Patients who underwent percutaneous suspension technique via sternal elevation device-assisted PE correction at West China Hospital of Sichuan University from July to August 2025 were consecutively enrolled, and their clinical data were analyzed. Results A total of 5 PE patients were included in the study, including 4 males and 1 female, aged 14 to 27 years, and the preoperative Haller index ranged from 3.44 to 7.65. Among them, 4 patients underwent PE correction assisted by percutaneous suspension technique via balance-shaped sternal elevation device, and one underwent PE correction assisted by percutaneous suspension technique via single sternal elevation device. All operations were completed successfully, with a significant expansion of the retrosternal space, smooth implantation of the steel plate, and no complications. The operation time ranged from 29 to 48 minutes, and the intraoperative blood loss was 2 to 5 mL. The patients recovered well after surgery, and the satisfaction rate with thoracic wall appearance correction was 100%. Conclusion The percutaneous suspension technique via sternal elevation device-assisted PE correction can safely expand the retrosternal operating space. This crucial expansion reduces surgical risks and optimizes the orthopedic outcome, underscoring its significant clinical value for minimally invasive treatment of PE.
Objective To summarize the early experience of modified Nuss procedure with thoracoscope for repairing pectus excavatum in children. Methods Fiftythree pediatric pectus excavatum were treated by modified Nuss procedure with thoracoscope from June 2004 to July 2006, theage ranged from 2.4 to 16.0 years, the average age was 8.1 years. Thirtysix patients were symmetric pectus excavatum and 17 patients were asymmetric pectus excavatum. Results The operation in all patients were successful, the average blood loss was less than 10ml. Pericardium perforation occurred in 2 earlier patients during the operation, pneumothorax occurred in 6 patients postoperatively,pleural effusion occurred in 3 patients, and all resolved by corresponding treatments. The average hospital length of stay was 5.5 days. All patients had a satisfied deformity correction and no needs of transfusion. The depression was thoroughly corrected in 48 patients, residual depression was less than 20% of preoperative degrees in 5 patients. Therapeutic results evaluation showed excellent in 46 patients and good in 7 patients. All patients were followed up in 1-25 months without any complaints, the activity ability was same as normal children; there were no bar displacement and injury event occurred. The bar had been removed in 1 patient 24 months after surgery who still kept in excellent results. Conclusion Modified Nuss procedure is easy to be performed with minimal invasion and good shortterm results. Thoracoscopic visualization facilitates the safety of this technique. It is recommendable to be tried and extended applied.
In order to identify whether the regeneration of costal cartilage is the basis of post-surgical repair of pectus excavatum and thoracic cage remodeling, 151 cases were followed up for 0.25 to 14 years. The main procedures in treatment were 3 steps: To curve the mental strut as a bow, to repair the perichondrium as a tube, and to persist in post-operative therapy. The results showed that regeneration of the costal cartilages appeared 3 months postoperatively in the cases treated by this method. It was concluded that a satisfactory thoracic cage could be remodeled by improving the technique of repairing pectus excavatum and persisting in postoperative therapy according to the regeneration regularity.
The surgical treatment of pectus excavatum has a history of more than 100 years, which has gone through from traditional open surgery to the current popular minimally invasive surgery. Nuss procedure, as the most classic minimally invasive operation, has been improved in accordance with the clinical needs since its inception to achieve fewer complications and better results, but there are still limitations that are difficult to break through, attracting a large number of scholars to make continuous innovation and develop updated devices and operation methods. This article reviews the history of funnel chest surgery, application and improvement of Nuss operation, double compression and complete fixation bar system and Wang procedure.
Objective To summarize the clinical experience of treating adults with pectus excavatum by newly modified orthopedicsteel plate and Nuss procedure. Methods The clinical data of 190 adults with pectus excavatum treated by newly modified Nuss procedure in Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from January 2011 to June 2016 were collected. There were 151 males and 39 females aged 21.80±3.96 years ranging from 18 to 45 years. The therapeutic efficacy, Haller index and the lung function index were also analyzed. Results All patients recovered well after the operation. Two orthopedic steel plates were implanted in 12 patients. Pneumothorax was found in 7 patients postoperatively and 2 of them was treated by puncture extraction. There were 5 patients with poor healing of incision and all of them were healed after the debridement. Other complications such as steel plate shift was found in 2 patients. Both of them recovered after the reoperation. The duration of operation was 36–65 min. The intraoperative blood loss was 5–20 ml. Postoperative hospital stay was 4–7 days. Haller and lung function index improved after the operation (P<0.001). Conclusion It is effective and safe to treat the pectus excavatum by newly modified orthopedic steel plate and Nuss procedure in adult patients.