Acquired thoracic scoliosis following minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum

The minimally invasive pectus excavatum repair as described by Nuss et al. is rapidly gaining acceptance as an effective method of repair of severe pectus excavatum deformities in the pediatric population. It potentially offers several advantages over previous techniques. The incidence of major complications of the procedure has been reduced by recent modifications including utilization of video-assisted thoracoscopy during placement of the Lorenz pectus bar as well as utilizing the pectus bar stabilizer that provides more rigid fixation of the strut. We report two cases of acquired thoracic scoliosis following minimally invasive repair of severe pectus excavatum deformity. This particular complication has not been reported in previous literature and warrants concern. In both cases the thoracic scoliosis slowly improved with physical therapy and range-of-motion exercises.     

Nuss手术矫治复发性和胸部手术后继发性漏斗胸

目的 总结Nuss手术矫治复发性和胸部手术后继发性漏斗胸经验.方法 2004年6月至2011年9月18例复发性或胸部手术后继发性漏斗胸Nuss手术者中男12例,女6例;年龄3.1 ～14.8岁,平均(8.8±4.0)岁;体重11 ～55kg,平均(30.2±14.8)kg.10例为开放式漏斗胸矫治术后复发病例,8例为其他胸部手术后继发性漏斗胸.16例畸形为对称性,2例为非对称性.CT检查Haller指数5.4±3.4.手术均在胸腔镜辅助下完成.结果 全组均成功实施手术.所有患儿均置入1根钢板.17例置入右侧固定片,1例置入双侧固定片.16例矫形效果为优良,2例良好.矫形效果与初次Nuss手术相比,早期优良及良好率差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).术后胸腔引流管放置1～4天.1例钢板移位于术后5个月行Nuss修正,重新固定移位之钢板.1例心脏穿孔出血,术中紧急行扩大胸骨正中切口,直视下修补心脏破口,术后复查超声心动图,心脏功能正常,无神经系统并发症.1例术后当天气胸合并皮下气肿,1例术后3天胸腔积液,此2例均行胸腔闭式引流后治愈.12例钢板拆除,钢板滞留24～45个月,拆除者10例保持优良,2例良好,无复发病例.结论 Nuss手术矫治复发性和胸部手术后继发性漏斗胸效果良好.     

漏斗胸患者Nuss手术后慢性疼痛的危险因素

目的 探讨漏斗胸微创矫正术(Nuss手术)后慢性疼痛的危险因素.方法 回顾性分析2013年1月至2019年9月择期行胸腔镜Nuss手术患者168例,男130例,女38例.收集患者联系方式、人口学资料、术前合并症、漏斗胸严重程度分级、神经阻滞情况、手术时间和术后24 h VAS疼痛评分.电话随访患者或家属完成术后慢性疼痛...     

Complications of surgery for pectus excavatum

The article describes the various acute and late complications of surgery for pectus excavatum. Because the acute complications are well known and easily managed and the late complications can be prevented, operative correction of pectus excavatum can be recommended to parents and their children with severe deformities with very little risk and a realistic expectation of good long-term correction.     

Nuss procedure for patients with pectus excavatum with a history of intrathoracic surgery

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of the Nuss procedure for patients with pectus excavatum (PE) with a history of intrathoracic surgery.PatientsFrom April 2010 to December 2013, we performed 6 cases of PE repair in patients with a history of intrathoracic surgery. The causes of previous operations were congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation in 4 patients and congenital diaphragmatic hernia in 2. The patients’ median age was 5 years (range, 4–9 years) and median preoperative pectus severity index was 4.63 (range, 3.42–10.03). Their intraoperative and postoperative courses were reviewed retrospectively.ResultsThe mean overall operation time was 127.5 ± 17.0 minutes, and the mean operation time for endoscopic pneumolysis was 28.8 ± 12.3 minutes. Intraoperative exploration for pleural adhesion revealed that the endoscopic approach in the previous operation was associated with low pleural adhesion, and the open thoracotomy or laparotomy approach was associated with low to high pleural adhesion. One patient developed a pneumothorax on the first postoperative day. All the other patients had uneventful postoperative courses. All the patients received bar removal 2–3 years after bar insertion. One patient developed atelectasis after bar removal. All the other patients had an uneventful postoperative course. The mean postoperative follow-up time after bar removal was 20.1 ± 14.7 months.ConclusionsHistory of intrathoracic surgery seems not a contraindication for the Nuss procedure. However, perioperative complications should be carefully monitored in both the bar insertion and removal operations.     

Reactive pectus carinatum in patients treated for pectus excavatum

Purpose

The Ravitch and minimally invasive Nuss procedures have brought widespread relief to children with pectus excavatum, chest wall deformities, over the last half century. Generally accepted long-term complications of pectus excavatum repair are typically limited to recurrence of the excavatum deformity or persistent pain. This study examines the authors' experience with patients who develop a subsequent carinatum deformity within 1 year of pectus excavatum repair.

Methods

The authors retrospectively assessed the charts of all patients diagnosed as having a carinatum deformity subsequent to treatment for pectus excavatum at a tertiary urban hospital. We noted age at original correction of pectus excavatum, time from original correction to diagnosis of carinatum deformity, age at correction of carinatum deformity, complaints before correction, methods of repair, postoperative complications, and we reviewed relevant radiography.

Results

Three patients who underwent pectus excavatum repair between January 2000 and August 2007 developed a subsequent carinatum deformity. Two patients initially underwent minimally invasive Nuss correction of pectus excavatum; 1 patient underwent the Ravitch procedure. Within 1 year of original correction and despite intraoperative achievement of neutral sternal position, a protruding anterior chest deformity resembling de novo pectus carinatum emerged in each patient; we term this condition reactive pectus carinatum. The mean age of patients undergoing initial pectus excavatum repair was 13 years (range, 11-16 years). The pathophysiology of this reactive lesion is not well understood but is thought to originate from reactive fibroblastic stimulation as a result of sternal manipulation and bar placement. Patients who underwent Nuss correction initially were managed with early bar removal. Two of the patients eventually required surgical resection of the carinatum deformity at a time interval of 3 to 6 years after initial excavatum repair. In one patient, the carinatum deformity resolved spontaneously. Neutral chest position and absence of dyspenic symptoms were achieved in all patients.

Conclusions

Reactive pectus carinatum is functionally encumbering and a poor cosmetic complication of either the Ravitch or minimally invasive Nuss procedures. Our experience with reactive pectus carinatum introduces the importance of postoperative vigilance even in patients without underlying fibroelastic disease. Examination of the chest with attention to the possibility of an emerging carinatum deformity, particularly in the first 6 postoperative months, is paramount. A telephone call to the patient at 3 months may be a useful adjunct to clinic visits. An optimal long-term result may be achieved through a combination of early Nuss bar removal or postpubertal pectus carinatum repair.     

Scoliosis in children with pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum

Between 1974 and 1985, 461 patients with pectus excavatum and 135 patients with pectus carinatum underwent operative repair of their anterior chest wall deformities. Twenty-one percent of patients with anterior chest wall deformity had mild scoliosis by clinical and radiographic examination. The average lateral spinal deformity was 15 degrees (range 6-78 degrees) for pectus excavatum patients and 16 degrees (range 5-57 degrees) for pectus carinatum patients. Eighteen percent of the pectus excavatum patients with scoliosis and 14% of the pectus carinatum patients with scoliosis required therapeutic intervention of bracing and/or arthrodesis.     

How not to do it: restrictive thoracic dystrophy after pectus excavatum repair

The purpose of our paper is to call attention to acquired restrictive thoracic dystrophy (ARTD), an iatrogenic disease. The condition may occur following correction of pectus excavatum in young patients and is characterized by a reduced and restricted rib cage, usually with some recurrence of the deformity. The authors personal experience with five such patients includes analysis of their operative notes, radiographs, and long-term follow up. These, as well as literary, data indicate that the cause of ARTD is not that the operation is performed at an early age, but that inappropriate surgical technique was performed that may include radical chondrocostal resection, extirpation of growth centers, and suturing together of the perichondrial strips retrosternally, consequentially causing cartilaginous growth behind the sternum. A well-designed, conservative operation may be safely performed at any age, including in children less than 4 years old.     

Reduced hospitalization cost for patients with pectus excavatum treated using minimally invasive surgery

Background: Currently, few data exist regarding the relative costs associated with open and minimally invasive pectus excavatum repair. The aim of this study was to compare the surgical and hospitalization costs for these two surgical techniques and to identify factors responsible for cost differences. Methods: A retrospective review of hospital charts, patient and parent questionnaires, and hospital accounting records was performed for 68 patients who underwent surgical correction of pectus excavatum between June 1996 and December 1999. Results: In this series, 25 patients underwent open repair, whereas 43 patients underwent minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE). The patient ages ranged from 4 to 19 years. The average ages for open repair (12 years) and MIRPE (11 years) did not differ significantly. As compared with open repair, MIRPE was associated with a 27% lower overall cost of hospitalization (p < 0.05). The operating room costs were 12% higher for the patients who underwent MIRPE (p < 0.05). The mean operative time for open repair was 3 h 15 min, whereas MIRPE required 1 h 10 min (p < 0.001). The hospital stay for open repair averaged 4.4 days, as compared with 2.4 days for MIRPE (p < 0.001). In contrast to other published series, the postoperative analgesia after MIRPE in this series consisted of narcotics, ketorolac, and methocarbamol. No patient received epidural analgesia, regardless of the repair technique selected. The postoperative complication rate was 4% in the open group and 14% in the MIRPE group. Most of the patients treated with either open or MIRPE reported postoperative oral narcotic usage for 2 weeks or less and returned to routine activities within 3 weeks. The patients and parents alike reported good to excellent overall outcomes in 85% or more of the open repair cases and 90% or more of the MIRPE cases. Conclusions: These data demonstrate for the first time that the use of an alternate pain management strategy including, narcotics, NSAIDs, and methocarbamol, but without epidural catheters, results in reduced hospital length of stay and decreased overall hospitalization costs for MIRPE, as compared with open pectus repair. This cost benefit was achieved without compromising pain management or patient satisfaction with surgical care.     

不同镇痛方法在儿童漏斗胸Nuss手术术后的应用

背景漏斗胸（pectus excavatum,PE）为最常见的先天性胸廓畸形,Nuss手术为目前常用的手术方式,虽属微创手术,但术后疼痛剧烈,严重影响患儿术后恢复及生活质量。良好的镇痛能促进康复并提高患儿及家属满意度,故Nuss手术术后镇痛具有重要意义。目的对儿童PENuss手术术后镇痛的研究进展予以综述。内容常用的镇痛方式有静脉镇痛、胸段硬膜外镇痛、肋间神经阻滞、椎旁神经阻滞及多模式镇痛等,另外催眠疗法及术后焦虑处理对Nuss术后疼痛也有一定缓解作用。趋向上诉镇痛方法各有优缺点,如何根据患者及医院情况为Nuss手术患儿制定个性化的术后镇痛方案仍待进一步研究。     

Modified Nuss procedure with a novel steel bar in patients with pectus excavatum post-congenital heart surgery

 Open in a separate windowOBJECTIVESPectus excavatum (PE) can be secondary in patients who underwent sternotomy for cardiac surgery. Retrosternal adhesions increase the complexity and risk of traditional Nuss repair. Thus, we summarized the outcomes of our modified Nuss procedure using a newly designed bar.METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on 35 patients who underwent modified PE repair after open heart surgery from January 2011 to July 2019. The surgery was performed using a novel bar with no need for intraoperative reshaping and rotation, assisted by thoracoscopy and subxiphoid incision when necessary.RESULTSThere were 19 males and 16 females with a median age of 5.3 years (interquartile range, 4.1–10.9) at PE repair. All patients underwent the modified procedure uneventfully with no death. The median operating time was 70 min. Twenty-nine (82.9%) patients required subxiphoid incision assistance. There was 1 case (2.8%) with unexpected sternotomy due to intraoperative bleeding. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 4 days. During the median 3.5 years of follow-up, no bar dislocation was found and 30 (85.7%) patients had their bars removed with no recurrence recorded. After PE repair, the Haller index improved significantly (2.6 ± 0.4 vs 4.9 ± 1.3, P < 0.05) and further decreased till the time of bar removal (2.5 ± 0.4 vs 2.6 ± 0.4, P < 0.05). All patients were satisfied with the cosmetic outcome.CONCLUSIONSThe novel bar can be placed and removed easily with a low rate of adverse events. This modified Nuss procedure seems to be a safe, effective and convenient approach for the management of PE after cardiac surgery.     

Valvular reoperations by left thoracotomy in patients with pectus excavatum

Several alternative approaches to the aortic and mitral valves have been reported recently. We describe a left anterior thoracotomy approach for valvular reoperations in 3 patients with Marfan syndrome and severe pectus excavatum.     

Simultaneous minimally invasive surgery for pectus excavatum and recurrent pneumothorax

A 19-year old male who had a pectus excavatum deformity and recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax was admitted to our clinic. An intervention simultaneously combining a videothoracoscopic apical wedge resection and minimally invasive repair of the pectus excavatum deformity was successfully performed.     

Cardiac performance in children with pectus excavatum

Fourteen children with pectus excavatum and 14 normal control patients underwent graded exercise testing using a cycle ergometer and the James protocol. All the subjects were preoperative. The children were exercised to exhaustion during the test. The pectus and control groups were broken down into subgroups consisting of subjects less than or equal to 10 years of age and subjects greater than or equal to 11 years of age (pectus and controls less than or equal to 10 years old, PI and CI, respectively; pectus and controls greater than or equal to 11 years old, PII and CII, respectively). Maximal workload, oxygen consumption, cardiac output, and stroke volume were not significantly different when comparing the total groups or when each of the respective subgroups were compared. However, maximal diastolic BP was significantly elevated when the entire pectus and control groups were compared. When the subgroups were compared, maximal diastolic BP was elevated only in the older pectus patients (PII) and remained so until five minutes after exercise. Additionally, left ventricular systolic time intervals were measured immediately after exercise in all the children. The ratio of preejection period to left ventricular ejection time (P/L) was significantly shortened in the total pectus group. When the subgroups were compared, the P/L ratio was significantly decreased only in the older patients. Also, the preejection period (PEP) was significantly shortened in the older pectus patients. It appears that children with pectus excavatum have a normal exercise tolerance and oxygen transport. However, older pectus children develop an increased diastolic BP and a shortened P/L and PEP in response to exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum in adult patients

Since 1996, the technique for minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) has gained increasing acceptance among pediatric patients. However, the feasibility of the operation and outcomes have not yet been evaluated in adult patients. This study was a retrospective analysis of the author's experience combined with a survey of members of the American Pediatric Surgical Association in treating adult patients with MIRPE. Thirty adults (age range, 18-32 years; mean, 23 years; 75% men) with severe pectus excavatum (chest index > 3.2) were treated with MIRPE. The main indication for surgery was cosmetic (80%). One 32-year-old female patient underwent simultaneous MIRPE and breast augmentation. In 60 per cent of cases, the operative time was 1 to 2 hours. Thoracic epidural was successfully used for postoperative pain management in 90 per cent of patients. Two pectus bars were necessary in 16 per cent of cases, and bilateral stabilizers were used in 53 per cent of patients. Complications included seroma (10%), bar displacement (6%), pneumothorax requiring tube thoracostomy (6%), superficial wound infection (3%), and stabilizer bar fracture (3%). Two patients required conversion to modified Ravitch repair. Patient satisfaction was rated as excellent (50%), good (36%), and fair (14%). Less than 50 per cent of patients achieved 100 per cent correction of their deformity. MIRPE can be used safely for repair of pectus excavatum in adult patients. The complication rate appears to be similar to previously reported series of pediatric patients. Although adult patients may have residual asymmetry of the chest postrepair, overall satisfaction with the repair was very good or excellent in 86 per cent of patients.