What Was Wrong and What Did They Do?

Posted on July 21, 2005

Tagged brad : Update

From a website which no longer exists (pectusdeformity.com) ^[1]:

Pectus Exacavatum

The defect known as pectus excavatum, or funnel chest, and pectus carinatum, know as pigeon breast, are congenital anomalies of the anterior chest wall. The excavatum defect is characterized by a deep depression of the sternum, usually involving the lower half or two thirds of the sternum, with the most recessed or deepest area at the junction of the chest and the abdomen. The lower 4-6 costal or rib cartilages, dip backward abnormally to increase the deformity or depression and push the sternum posterior or backward toward the spine. Also, in many of these deformities, the sternum is asymmetric or it courses to the right or left in this depression. In most instances, the depression is on the right side. Also, because of the pressure of the sternum and cartilages, the abdomen looks like a "potbelly". The entire defect also pushes the midline structures so that the lungs are compressed from side to side and the heart (right ventricle) is compressed and displaced.

The pectus excavatum defect is found in somewhere between 1 in every 500-1,000 children. It does occur in families and thus, is inherited in many instances. Other problems, especially in the muscle and skeletal system, also may accompany this defect. In approximately 1/5 of the patients, scoliosis is present. The defect is seen shortly after birth and then progresses to its maximum after the growth period in adolescence. The regression or any improvement in this defect rarely occurs because of the fixation of the cartilages and the ligaments. When one takes a deep breath or inspires, the defect is usually accentuated.