ObjectiveTo explore the clinical efficacy of thoracoscopy-assisted modified Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum (PE) in children.MethodsThe clinical data of patients with PE who underwent thoracoscopy-assisted modified Nuss procedure from October 2013 to October 2020 in Daping Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsA total of 86 patients were collected, including 79 males and 7 females with a mean age of 14.03±3.36 years. The operations were performed successfully in all patients without intraoperative cardiac vascular injury or perioperative death. The mean operation time was 87.30±33.45 min, bleeding volume was 19.94±14.60 mL, and the postoperative hospitalization stay time was 6.89±2.59 d. Early postoperative complications included 2 patients of pneumothorax, 2 patients of wound fat liquefaction and infection, 2 patients of bar flipping and displacement. One patient had bar displacement 1 year after the surgery. The total complication rate was 8.14%. All patients were followed up for 3-42 months. The bars were taken out about 36 months after the surgery. According to the evaluation criteria of orthopedic effect, 68 (79.07%) patients were excellent, 10 (11.63%) patients were good, 5 (5.81%) patients were moderate and 3 (3.49%) patients were poor.ConclusionMinimally invasive and individualized shaping via the Nuss procedure for PE children is safe and convenient, with satisfied effect. It is worthy of popularization in the clinic.
In order to identify whether the regeneration of costal cartilage is the basis of post-surgical repair of pectus excavatum and thoracic cage remodeling, 151 cases were followed up for 0.25 to 14 years. The main procedures in treatment were 3 steps: To curve the mental strut as a bow, to repair the perichondrium as a tube, and to persist in post-operative therapy. The results showed that regeneration of the costal cartilages appeared 3 months postoperatively in the cases treated by this method. It was concluded that a satisfactory thoracic cage could be remodeled by improving the technique of repairing pectus excavatum and persisting in postoperative therapy according to the regeneration regularity.
Objective To assess the efficacy and summarize the treatment experience in correction of recurrent pectus excavatum by the non-thoracoscopic minimally invasive Nuss procedure. Methods From July 2003 to November 2007, 21 patients with recurrent pectus excavatum were treated with surgical repairs. Among them, there were 15 patients who underwent a Nuss procedure (the recurrent Nuss group), 13 males and 2 females, aged (13.31 ± 4.21) years old, and the preoperative CT scan showed the mean Haller index was 3.98 ± 0.94. The recurrence time of the depression after the primary operation was different: 2 patients with less than 1 year, 4 with 1-3 years, 7 with 3-5 years and 2 with over 5 years. There were 6 patients who underwent a modified Ravitch procedure (the recurrent Ravitch group), 5 males and 1 female, aged (13.67 ± 2.23) years old, and the mean Haller index was 3.92 ± 1.01. The recurrence time of the depression after the primary operation was as follows: 2 patients with less than 1 year, 1 with 1-3 years and 3 with 3-5 years. Another 119 patients had a primary Nuss procedure in the same period (the primary Nuss group), 95 males and 24 females, aged (7.79 ± 3.59) years old, and the mean Haller index was 4.61 ± 1.36. In terms of the age and the Haller index, there was significant difference between the recurrent Nuss group as well as the recurrent Ravitch group and the primary Nuss group (Plt; 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the recurrent Nuss group and the recurrent Ravitch group (Pgt; 0.05). Results All the patients were performed with the surgery successfully without any severe compl ications. The operation time, blood loss and postoperative hospital ization time of the recurrent Nuss group and the primary Nuss group were significantly less than those of the recurrent Ravitch group (P lt; 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the recurrent Nuss group and the primary Nuss group (P gt; 0.05). All the patients were followed up for 1.5-37.0 months (11.2 months on average). Except for 1 with plate displacement and 2 with suture reaction in the primary Nuss group who were readmitted to hospital, the other patients recovered well. The patients had perfect thoracic appearances with increased exercise tolerance and had a significantly improved psychological condition and an active social participation because of their improved appearances. The postoperative mean Haller index was 2.58 ± 0.31, 2.77 ± 0.48 and 2.52 ± 0.34 in the recurrent Nuss group, the recurrent Ravitch group and the primary Nuss group, respectively, with significant difference compared with the preoperative mean Haller index in each group (Plt; 0.05). Conclusion Although the recurrent pectus excavatum repairs are technically more challenging than the primary surgery, the non-thoracoscopic Nuss procedure for reoperative correction is a safe, effective and rel iable method.
ObjectiveTo summarize the experience of treating adult recurrent pectus excavatum without plate turnover.MethodsTwenty-seven patients with recurrent pectus excavatum treated by thoracoscopy-assisted placement without plate turnover from 2010 to 2019 in our hospital were enrolled. There were 23 males and 4 females with the age of 3-29 (12.81±7.79) years at the first operation, and 18-29 (21.74±3.56) years at this operation. Incision of 2-3 cm at bilateral axillary midline of the deepest point of pectus excavatum was made, and an auxiliary incision under xiphoid process was adopted according to the intraoperative situation.ResultsAll patients underwent thoracoscopy-assisted correction of pectus excavatum without bar turnover, and subxiphoid incision was performed in 11 patients. Twenty-five patients had one bar placed, and two patients required two bars. The operation time was 28-45 (33.00±6.44) min. Postoperative Haller index (2.95±0.40) was improved compared with preoperation (4.63±1.03). The postoperative hospital stay was 4-6 (4.00±0.32) day. All patients were followed up for 1-8 years. Complications included poor wound healing in 1 patient, and steel wire fracture and displacement in 1 patient. There was no plate rotation or bar displacement. Fourteen patients removed the bar 29-84 (40.36±13.93) months after the placement. Haller index was improved to 2.43-3.61 (2.86±0.35) during removal of steel plate. Untill June 2020, there was no recurrence of pectus excavatum.ConclusionThe treatment of adult recurrent pectus excavatum without plate turnover is satisfactory, and the protection of intercostal muscle and firm fixation is the key to ensure the success of operation and long-term effects.
ObjectiveTo explore the surgical design and efficacy of novel modified Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum (PE).MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 903 patients with PE who were treated by the new kind of steel bar and the novel modified Nuss procedure. There were 716 males and 187 females at mean age of 2-45 (12.1±6.8) years. Preoperative chest CT scans Haller index (HI) was 3.1-15.2 (4.6±1.3), with 38 patients of mild PE (HI<3.2), 302 patients of moderate PE (HI 3.2-3.5), 521 patients of severe PE (HI 3.6-6.0), and 42 patients of extremely severe PE (HI>6.0). The operative time, operative blood loss, hospital stay time as well as postoperative complications were reviewed and analyzed.ResultsAll of the 903 patients successfully completed the surgery. The mean operative time was 20-45 (25.2±2.6) min for primary PE and that for special type of PE (including recurring PE, PE patients after heart disease operation and those corrected by 2 bars) was 48-150 (63.5±28.1) min. Blood loss was less than 10 mL for primary PE and 15-50 (23.5±5.5) mL for special type of PE. Postoperative hospital stay was 3-15 (4.5±1.6) d. A total of 845 patients (93.6%) required 1 steel bar insertion, 58 patients (6.4%) required 2 steel bars. Postoperative evaluation of the surgery outcomes revealed the following: excellent in 805 patients, good in 84 patients, fair in 14 patients and poor in 0. The good quality rate was 98.4%.ConclusionNovel modified Nuss procedure can simplify and optimize the surgical design with good short and mid-term effects.
ObjectiveTo review the current development in therapy of congenital funnel chest. MethodsRecent literature concerning the development of the treatment method for congenital funnel chest was extensively reviewed and summarized. ResultsThe main therapies for congenital funnel chest are thoracoplasty (Ravitch sternum elevation procedure and minimal invasive Nuss procedure) and prosthesis implantation. The magnetic mini-mover procedure and the vacuum bell are still in the research phase. ConclusionBesides the improvement in function, the requirement in appearance after surgery is also improved in the treatment of congenital funnel chest. The minimally invasive surgery and non-invasive procedures could be expected in the future.
ObjectiveTo summarize clinical experience of minimally invasive non-thoracoscopic Nuss procedure for the treatment of pectus excavatum (PE). MethodsFifty-one pediatric patients received minimally invasive nonthoracoscopic Nuss procedure for PE between July 2008 and February 2014 in Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jinan Military General Hospital. There were 32 males and 19 females with their average age of 8.32 (2.5-17.0) years. Transverse incisions were made in bilateral chest wall. Supporting plate was put to right chest wall through retrosternal approach, turned over and fastened onto the ribs. ResultsDeformity of all the patients was successfully corrected. Operation time was 30-52 (38±9) minutes. One patients had heart injury which was repair after open thoracotomy, and then supporting-plate was successfully secured. Postoperative complications included subcutaneous emphysema in 7 patients, pneumothorax in 3 patients and atelectasis in 3 patients, all of whom were cured by conservative treatment. Supportingplate transposition occurred in 1 patient and was corrected by reoperation. All the patients were followed up for 1-42 (21.6±7.6) months. According to Nuss standard, there were 39 patients with excellent results, 9 patients with good results, and 3 patients with fair results. ConclusionMinimally invasive Nuss procedure is an efficacious, easy, feasible and safe procedure for the treatment of PE with low morbidity.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of anterior chest wall depression on the cardiac function and the effectiveness of minimally invasive surgery for pectus excavatum by comparing cardiac function and morphology between pre- and post-operation. MethodsBetween August 2009 and December 2010, 102 adult patients with pectus excavatum were treated with minimally invasive surgery, including the primary operation in 95 cases and the reoperation in 7 cases. There were 84 males and 18 females, aged 18-57 years (mean, 23.4 years). The haller index (HI) was 4.59 ± 1.51. Of 102 patients, 59 were classified as pectus excavatum type I and 43 as type II; 42 had clinical symptoms and 19 had the physical sign of heart. The preoperative chest CT examination showed cardiac compression in all patients and heart displacement in 74 patients. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 68.9% ± 6.2%. ResultsThe procedure was successful in all patients, and no death or serious complication occurred. The patients were followed up 12-28 months (mean, 21 months). The clinical symptoms and cardiac physical sign of the patients disappeared after operation. HI was 2.70 ± 0.33 at 12 months after operation, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative HI (t=5.83, P=0.00). According to Nuss’s evaluation method, the results were excellent in 99 patients and good in 3 patients. CT examination showed complete relief of cardiac compression in 101 patients and mild cardiac compression in 1 patient; the heart position was normal at 12 months after operation. Electrocardiogram returned to normal in 4 patients having abnormal electrocardiogram. LVEF was 70.5% ± 4.8% after operation, showing no significant difference when compared with preoperative LVEF (t=1.08, P=0.30). ConclusionThe main effects of pectus excavatum in adults on heart are compression and displacement. Cardiac compression may be relieved efficiently and the patient’s clinical symptoms can be abated by minimally invasive surgery.
Objective To summarize the early experience of modified Nuss procedure with thoracoscope for repairing pectus excavatum in children. Methods Fiftythree pediatric pectus excavatum were treated by modified Nuss procedure with thoracoscope from June 2004 to July 2006, theage ranged from 2.4 to 16.0 years, the average age was 8.1 years. Thirtysix patients were symmetric pectus excavatum and 17 patients were asymmetric pectus excavatum. Results The operation in all patients were successful, the average blood loss was less than 10ml. Pericardium perforation occurred in 2 earlier patients during the operation, pneumothorax occurred in 6 patients postoperatively,pleural effusion occurred in 3 patients, and all resolved by corresponding treatments. The average hospital length of stay was 5.5 days. All patients had a satisfied deformity correction and no needs of transfusion. The depression was thoroughly corrected in 48 patients, residual depression was less than 20% of preoperative degrees in 5 patients. Therapeutic results evaluation showed excellent in 46 patients and good in 7 patients. All patients were followed up in 1-25 months without any complaints, the activity ability was same as normal children; there were no bar displacement and injury event occurred. The bar had been removed in 1 patient 24 months after surgery who still kept in excellent results. Conclusion Modified Nuss procedure is easy to be performed with minimal invasion and good shortterm results. Thoracoscopic visualization facilitates the safety of this technique. It is recommendable to be tried and extended applied.