[Nuss repair for pectus excavatum; procedure devices and midterm results]

Minimally invasive surgery (Nuss procedure) is being accepted rapidly as a preferred method for pectus excavatum repair. This report describes single institution experience with the Nuss procedure. Patient records were reviewed for retrospective analysis. One hundred eighteen patients with pectus excavatum underwent repair by Nuss procedure. The patient age ranged in age from 4 to 20 years (average, 11 years). There were 84 males and 34 females. All patients have been completed the procedure without any intraoperative complications. The operating times ranged from 35 to 201 minutes (average, 74 minutes). Complications were pleural effusion in 4.2%, wound infection in 5.9% and displacement of the steel bar requiring revision in 5.1%. A 3-point fixation system minimized the risk of bar shifting. The minimally invasive technique has evolved into an effective method of pectus excavatum repair. Mid-term results continue to be excellent.