Use of a Capture-Guidance Surgical Instrument to Minimize Muscle Stripping During Nuss Repair of Pectus Excavatum

Pectus excavatum is an anomaly of chest wall development in which anterior ribs curve inward and the sternum is displaced toward the vertebral column. The Nuss procedure is a minimally invasive technique in which one or more metal bars are implanted to brace the sternum in a corrected position. Over time, the chest wall remodels into an anatomically corrected shape and the bar(s) are removed at a later date. During the procedure, passage of an introducer instrument and then the repair bar(s) may shear the intercostal muscles from the adjacent ribs. This creates larger than necessary defects in the chest wall, improper or unstable bar placement, and inadequate repair. We report a new surgical instrument for guiding the introducer through the contralateral chest wall. This capture-guidance instrument (CGI) redirects and channels forces to keep the introducer true while preventing muscle stripping during passage of the introducer and repair bar(s). The CGI has been piloted at two pectus centers with a notable decrease in intercostal muscle stripping. The CGI addresses the problem of shear and intercostal muscle stripping during traversal of the chest as part of Nuss repair of pectus excavatum.