A new method of surgical treatment of funnel chest with help of permanent magnets

35 patients have benefited from the following procedure: After a double chondrotomy accompanied if need be by resection of the costal cartilages and a sternotomy, a magnet is placed in the retrosternal space. The wound is closed. A second magnet is placed externally on special corset. The magnetic chest expansion is achieved in between one and one and a half months. The internal magnet is removed six months after the operation. Its authors claim a series of 33 good results, without any relapses, after a follow-up of 2 1/2 years.