Factors determining the complications in Nuss procedure

This study aims to share our experiences in complications developing in patients who underwent Nuss procedure and the management of these complications.

In the study, files of 59 patients (50 males, 9 females; mean age 17.6±5.1 years; range, 2.5 to 33 years) who were applied Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum in our clinic between July 2007 and May 2016 were retrospectively assessed. Patients" age, gender, surgical method-complications and hospitalization durations were recorded. Fisher"s chisquare test and logistic regression analysis were used for data evaluation.

Nuss procedure was performed in all patients without severe complications such as death, organ injury or massive hemorrhage. The most frequently observed postoperative earlyperiod complication was minimal pneumothorax (n=16, 27.1%), while bar dislocation was most frequently observed in the lateperiod (n=5, 8.3%).

Being male and/or over 23 years of age were determined as risk factors for complication development after Nuss procedure. Still, being a minimally invasive and manageable approach with its success in correcting the deformity, short operation duration, and low complication rates, Nuss procedure can be safely performed in selected patients.