[Surgical correction of pectus carinatum]

Area of Science:

• Thoracic surgery
• Pediatric surgery
• Congenital chest wall deformities

Context:

• Pectus carinatum (PC) is a chest wall deformity characterized by sternal protrusion.
• This condition can cause significant psychological and somatic distress.
• Physician awareness of surgical benefits and low comorbidity is often limited.

Purpose:

• To report the preliminary surgical outcomes for pectus carinatum.
• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a modified Ravitch and Welch technique for PC correction.

Summary:

• Twenty-six consecutive patients with pectus carinatum underwent surgery using a modified Ravitch and Welch technique.
• The patient cohort had a mean age of 15 years, with 92% being male.
• The study achieved excellent cosmetic outcomes in 92% of patients, with no major complications, pain, or prolonged hospital stays.

Impact:

• Surgical correction of pectus carinatum yields high patient satisfaction and excellent cosmetic results.
• The procedure is associated with low morbidity and short hospitalizations.
• Encourages surgical consultation for patients with psychologically or physically impairing pectus carinatum.