A novel technique to measure severity of pediatric pectus excavatum using white light scanning.

Background/purpose

Computed tomography (CT) derived Haller Index (HI) remains the standard for quantifying severity in patient with pectus excavatum (PE). Optical scanning described in literature reports optimistic results and new indices that correlate with HI. This study assessed the feasibility of a handheld White Light Scanner (WLS) to obtain 3D measurements and indices of PE deformity.

Pectus excavatum defect on liver-spleen scintigraphy

A 58-year-old man with a pectus excavatum demonstrated a photon-deficient defect within the left lobe of the liver on liver-spleen scintigraphy using Tc-99m SCOL. Computed tomography of the liver clearly revealed the abnormal defect seen on the liver-spleen scan to be due to the pectus excavatum. This case confirms the impression that these skeletal aberrations may cause false-positive hepatic defects.The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense     

Chest Wall Implants: Their Use for Pectus Excavatum,Pectoralis Muscle Tears,Poland's Syndrome,and Muscular Insufficiency

Solid customized and prefabricated silicone implants have been used by the author for 15 years in a wide range of chest wall deformities. Chest wall implants are often used in males seeking to augment a muscularly deficient or underdeveloped chest; however, their greatest use has come in a variety of deformities both congenital and acquired, such as pectus excavatum, Poland's Syndrome, and pectoralis muscle tears. The implants can be either customized using a moulage technique or are prefabricated, manufactured implants which can be modified on the operating table to repair the contour deformity. The immediate postoperative problem of seroma and subcutaneous implant ``show' has been minimized by careful planning, gentle technique, deep insertion, improved patient positioning on the operating room table, and the use of oral anti-inflammatory medications. The long-term results of these implants seem very satisfactory. The patients are usualy physically active, and the implants show no long-term sequelae such as seroma, infection, displacement, or rupture.     

Reconstruction of pectus excavatum with silicone implants.

The pectus excavatum deformity is characterised by a deep depression usually involving the lower one-half to two-thirds of the sternum. The indications for surgery are often aesthetic. Extensive procedures, requiring fracturing and remodelling of the chest wall skeleton are associated with high morbidity and high rate of complications. In this article we describe our renewed experience with reconstruction of mild and moderate pectus excavatum deformities with custom made prefabricated silicone implants. The fabrication of the implant and the surgical technique are described in detail. An excellent aesthetic correction of the deformity was achieved in all of the patients in our series, with high patient satisfaction rate. We conclude that with careful patient selection, artistic implant fabrication and meticulous surgical technique, this approach achieves excellent aesthetic correction with minimal morbidity and a low complication rate and therefore should maintain its place in the armamentarium of surgical techniques for reconstruction of pectus deformities.     

A better incision for pectus excavatum repair: avoiding the keloid triangle

The most common approach to the pepair of pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum deformities is via a central transverse submammary incision. The subsequent suprasternal scar is conspicuous and prone to hypertrophic and keloid scarring. To avoid the keloid triangle and to produce a less noticeable scar, we have utilized bilateral inframammary incisions for repairs of five female and two male patients with pectus defects. This approach provides excellent access for cartilage resection, sternotomy, and sternal tupport without increasing opearative time or compromising operative exposure. On follow-up for up to 25 months, all patients have had excellent cosmetic and functional results. Chest wall configuration and stability, wound healing, and scar formation have all been without complication. No keloid or hypertrophic scars have developed. To date, there has been no recurrence of pectus defects. We believe bilateral inframammary incisions are a superior approach for pectus repairs by enchancing cosmesis with less noticeable scars and fewer hypertropic and keloid scars, all without compromising operative exposure or increasing operative time.     

胸骨上举术的固定方式与结果

目的：分析胸骨上举术的不同固定方式与手术效果的关系。方法：１４８例经胸骨上举术治疗的漏斗胸患儿，术中分别用自制金属支杠、三点式悬吊和塑料及金属制成的支架背心悬吊固定胸骨。结果：其中８４例患儿获术后６个月至６年（平均２年）随访观察，绝大部分效果满意，仅２例复发。２７例保留金属支杠于术后１０～１２个月拔除者，无复发，外观更满意。结论：胸骨上举术治疗漏斗胸的效果肯定，手术安全。用自制金属支杠固定上举的胸骨操作简便，术后护理方便。保持金属支杠于手术后１０～１２个月才拔除，有利于防止复发，胸廓外形更满意。三点式悬吊固定对较小的轻度患儿适用。支架背心悬吊固定法术后护理不便，影响患儿日常生活，使用受限     

Surgical repair of pectus excavatum relieves right heart chamber compression and improves cardiac output in adult patients—an intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic study

Background

Cardiac compression in pectus excavatum (PE) deformity and effect of PE surgery on cardiac function in adults have been debated. We examined the effect of PE correction on right heart size and cardiac output.

Methods

A retrospective evaluation was performed of 168 adult patients who underwent a modified Nuss PE repair with intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography from 2011 to 2014. Seventeen patients with prior PE repair undergoing bar removal acted as controls.

Results

Mean age was 33.0 years (range, 18 to 71 years). There was an increase in right atrium (15.1%), tricuspid annulus (10.9%), and right ventricular outflow tract (6.1%) size after surgery (all P < .0001). Right ventricular cardiac output measured in a subset of 42 patients improved by 38%. No change in chamber size or cardiac output occurred before and after bar removal surgery in the control group.

Conclusions

Surgical correction of PE deformity caused a significant improvement in right heart chamber size and cardiac output.     

Postoperative pain management in pediatric patients undergoing minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum: The role of intercostal block

Purpose

There are no published data regarding value of intercostal block following pectus excavatum repair. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of intercostal block in children following minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE).

Methods

Forty-five patients given patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with morphine postoperatively were studied. Twenty-six patients were given bilateral intercostal blocks after induction of anesthesia (PCA-IB group), and nineteen patients were retrospective controls without regional blockade (PCA group). All patients were followed up 24 h postoperatively.

Results

A loading dose of morphine (0,1 ± 0,49 mg/kg) before starting PCA was used in seventeen patients in PCA group vs. no patient in PCA-IB group. Cumulative used morphine doses were lower up to 12 h after surgery in PCA-IB group (0,29 ± 0,08 μg/kg) than in the PCA group (0,46 ± 0,18 μg/kg), p < 0,01. There were no differences in pain scores, oxygen saturation values, sedation scores, and the incidence of pulmonary adverse events between the two groups. There was a tendency towards less morphine-related adverse effects in PCA-IB group compared to PCA group (p < 0,05). No complications related to the intercostal blocks were observed.

Conclusion

Bilateral intercostal blocks following MIRPE are safe and easy to perform and can diminish postoperative opioid requirement. Double-blind randomized study is required to confirm the potential to diminish opioid related side effects.