Pectus Carinatum
What is pectus carinatum?
Pectus carinatum is a deformity of the chest wall in which the sternum and rib cartilage protrude outward, something like the breast of a bird. It is much less common than other chest wall deformities, occurs four times more often in boys than in girls and typically becomes more pronounced during the early growth spurt of adolescence.
What causes pectus carinatum?
No one knows exactly what causes the deformity. It is more common in children who have connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan syndrome, and congenital heart disease. About 25 percent of people affected with pectus carinatum have a family history of chest wall deformities so genetic factors likely play a role in some cases.
What symptoms does it cause?
Pectus carinatum can cause a variety of symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty exercising and asthma symptoms. Patients may also experience psychological distress and negative body image.
How is pectus carinatum treated?
There are many treatment options for pectus carinatum, including non-surgical bracing and surgery. The surgeons at CHKD are world-renowned for their expertise in chest wall deformities and can help you select the best treatment option for your child based on his or her specific needs.
Minimally-Invasive Surgery for Pectus Carinatum
The traditional surgical correction of pectus carinatum involves opening the chest and removing portions of the sternum and rib cartilage to reconstruct the chest wall.
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters has recently introduced to the United States a new, minimally invasive method to correct pectus carinatum.
The new procedure is based on the Nuss procedure to correct pectus excavatum, a chest wall deformity in which the chest pushes inward. The Nuss Procedure was developed by pediatric surgeon Donald Nuss at CHKD in the late 1980s and has been performed successfully throughout the world on thousands of patients.
In the new procedure, surgeons introduce a curved bar through a tiny incision on either side of the patient’s chest. These are placed under the muscles of the chest wall and over the sternum, immediately depressing the chest protrusion. The bars are anchored to the ribs with special stabilizers and stay in place for several years so the chest cartilage can harden in the correct position.
Click to see a video on the new surgery.
How can I make an appointment?
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters is located in Norfolk, Virginia, but we work with patients from all over the world on chest wall deformities and can coordinate many aspects of care through your child’s local physician. For more information, please call (757) 668-NUSS.