[Respiratory and hemodynamic functional tests in funnel chest]

Fifty three patients with Pectus excavatum, 12.5 years of age on average, were studied. They frequently had respiratory history (in 36% of cases): asthma, repetitive bronchites or rhinopharyngites, and associated squeletal deformities (17%) : kyphoscoliosis, lordo-kyphosis and scoliosis. As far as ventilation is concerned, the restrictive syndrome was found in 49% of cases, severely in 23% (20% decrease in C. V.) An obstructive syndrome was found only in cases of associated asthma. Bodypletysmography done parallely in 5 cases puts in evidence or increases the ventilatory abnormalities. In the cardio-vascular check up, the chest X ray, E.C.G., the pulmonary scintigraphy or straight microcatheterization, usually reveal some abnormality (15% of cases). The synthesis of results points out two facts : 1) when the heart is in its position and the cardiomediastinal shadow enlarges, the E.C.G. abnormalities are unimportant; when the heart is displaced towards the left, the electrical disorders are bigger ; 2) microcatheterization done on 22 subjects revealed a gradient of systolic pressure, right ventricle-pulmonary artery, definite or severe in 4 cases, lesser in 9. Surgery rarely improves the spirometry and E.C.G. abnormalities, but does seem to cure the hemodynamic disorders.