Chest wall abnormalities and their clinical significance in childhood

The thorax consists of the rib cage and the respiratory muscles. It houses and protects the various intrathoracic organs such as the lungs, heart, vessels, esophagus, nerves etc. It also serves as the so-called "respiratory pump" that generates the movement of air into the lungs while it prevents their total collapse during exhalation. In order to be performed these functions depend on the structural and functional integrity of the rib cage and of the respiratory muscles. Any condition (congenital or acquired) that may affect either one of these components is going to have serious implications on the function of the other. Furthermore, when these abnormalities occur early in life, they may affect the growth of the lungs themselves. The following article reviews the physiology of the respiratory pump, provides a comprehensive list of conditions that affect the thorax and describes their effect(s) on lung growth and function.