Surgical treatment of pectus excavatum

In conclusion, the following points are reemphasized: 1) The abnormal (either depressed or protruding) cartilages should always be resected. This resection, especially in pectus excavatum abnormalities, should not be overdone because the highest point that the chest wall and sternum can be elevated to with these types of operations is only the level of the most anterior rib and the thickness of the sternum itself. 2) Marlex mesh is an ideal material to support the sternum in its corrected position. It is strong and holds well until the chest wall solidifies. Also, it is resistant to infection and it may be left in place permanently. The application of different metallic splints, rods, and so on, as well as costal allografts, was found to be absolutely unnecessary. 3) Intercostal strips detached from the sternum may be left in place. Also, the surgeon should not waste time in performing a meticulous "classic" subperichondrial resection of the cartilages and ribs but should just leave enough perichondrium and periosteum behind to ensure the regeneration of the ribs. For the same reason, a segment of the most lateral portion of the cartilage should be left in continuity with the ribs. 4) It is strongly recommended that in excavatum anomalies, one of the pleural cavities should be deliberately opened and wide communication established between the pleural and the retrosternal space; the entire operative area should be drained for a day or two using an intracostal water-sealed catheter. This will make the use of any other subcutaneous or mediastinal drainage devices unnecessary and will ensure appropriate drainage of blood or serum. It is also recommended that the resection of the cartilages should be done on the left side first, where inadvertent entering of the pleura is less likely because of the backing of the pericardium. If it happens, drainage of the right hemithorax is not necessary. Carinatum anomalies are handled with subcutaneous drainage. 5) To confirm appropriate results, the chest should be carefully inspected after closure of the skin, and flaws, if they exist, should be corrected right then. Also, surgical repair of all pectus anomalies, especially excavatum deformities, should be supplemented in due time with an appropriate exercise program. Swimming and weight lifting are especially useful. 6) We found that the age limit imposed on small children by some authors is unnecessary, and as a matter of fact it is preferable to operate on children at an early age, around 2 years, because of commonly existing psychologic problems at a later age. The author advises restraint in operating on individuals past the teenage years unless the deformity is physiologically restricting. 7) The jury is still out regarding procedures using limited exposure and that do not use transverse sternotomy to correct the depressed or elevated sternal axis. 8) The usage of cosmetic procedures, or in other words, operations that do not correct the anomaly of the bony chest wall but use various implants as camouflage, should be restricted to cases of moderate excavatum anomalies in late teenage patients and to adults without cardiorespiratory symptoms.