Pectus excavatum – cosmetic problem or something more?

Pectus Excavatum: Not Just a Cosmetic Concern

The exact cause of PEX is not known, but the primary theory centers around unbalanced overgrowth in the costochondral regions. One study showed that asymmetric PEX patients had shorter ribs on the more severely depressed side of the deformity. Up to 43% of PEX patients have a family history of the disease. It is thought to be a disease of multifactorial inheritance, and the exact genes implicat...

Pectus excavatum

Pectus excavatum occurs in approximately 1 in 400 live births. The chest defect becomes progressively worse with growth and in the teenage years can become disabling. Although considered cosmetic, and it is most certainly cosmetic, there are also well documented physiological changes such as decreased effort tolerance and cardiac arrhythmias. The young patients become used to the che t disabili...

Pectus excavatum

In pectus excavatum, a developmental chest-wall deformity that affects approximately one in 400 births, the sternum is depressed inward and the ribs protrude anteriorly. This deformity can compromise pulmonary and/or cardiac function. It can also produce a characteristic radiographic appearance on frontal radiographs, which may be mistaken for right-middle-lobe opacification from pneumonia or a...

Pectus excavatum.

Pectus Excavatum: More Than a Matter of Aesthetics.

Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common congenital chest abnormality, and affects males 5 times more frequently than females. PE results from improper fusion of the ribs with the sternum during embryologic development. The cardinal presenting sign is chest depression. Evaluation includes serial measurement of the chest deformity defect. Additional evaluation of cardiopulmonary function, includ...