Abstract
Pectus excavatum is the most common chest wall deformity affecting up to 1 % of the population. Traditional management required an open procedure that included an anterior chest incision, resection of the affected cartilages, and sternal osteotomy. In 1997, Donald Nuss proposed a minimally invasive approach that utilized small, laterally oriented incisions and placement of a rigid bar to push the sternum up into the appropriate position. Over time this support allows the chest wall to remodel resulting in reversal of the defect, all without cartilage resection or osteotomy. Since its inception, it has experienced widespread application in many centers worldwide with good results. In this chapter we present the workup, selection of patients, and procedure for the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum. There is extensive literature on many aspects of this condition and procedure. The emphasis of this chapter is to present the technical logistics of the minimally invasive approach.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Williams AM, Crabbe DC. Pectus deformities of the anterior chest wall. Paediatr Respir Rev. 2003;4(3):237–42.
Adzick NS, Coran AG. Pediatric surgery. Philadelphia: Elsevier Mosby; 2012. Available from: http://VB3LK7EB4T.search.serialssolutions.com/?V=1.0&L=VB3LK7EB4T&S=JCs&C=TC0000629769&T=marc.
Westphal FL, Lima LC, Lima Neto JC, Chaves AR, Santos Junior VL, Ferreira BL. Prevalence of pectus carinatum and pectus excavatum in students in the city of Manaus, Brazil. J Bras Pneumol. 2009;35(3):221–6.
Chung CS, Myrianthopoulos NC. Factors affecting risks of congenital malformations. I. Analysis of epidemiologic factors in congenital malformations. Report from the Collaborative Perinatal Project. Birth Defects Orig Artic Ser. 1975;11(10):1–22.
Kelly Jr RE, Shamberger RC, Mellins RB, Mitchell KK, Lawson ML, Oldham K, et al. Prospective multicenter study of surgical correction of pectus excavatum: design, perioperative complications, pain, and baseline pulmonary function facilitated by internet-based data collection. J Am Coll Surg. 2007;205(2):205–16.
Creswick HA, Stacey MW, Kelly Jr RE, Gustin T, Nuss D, Harvey H, et al. Family study of the inheritance of pectus excavatum. J Pediatr Surg. 2006;41(10):1699–703.
Shamberger RC, Welch KJ. Surgical repair of pectus excavatum. J Pediatr Surg. 1988;23(7):615–22.
Tocchioni F, Ghionzoli M, Messineo A, Romagnoli P. Pectus excavatum and heritable disorders of the connective tissue. Pediatr Rep. 2013;5(3), e15.
Fokin AA, Steuerwald NM, Ahrens WA, Allen KE. Anatomical, histologic, and genetic characteristics of congenital chest wall deformities. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2009;21(1):44–57.
Sweet RH. Pectus excavatum: report of two cases successfully operated upon. Ann Surg. 1944;119(6):922–34.
Brodkin HA. Congenital anterior chest wall deformities of diaphragmatic origin. Dis Chest. 1953;24(3):259–77.
Chin EF. Surgery of funnel chest and congenital sternal prominence. Br J Surg. 1957;44(186):360–76.
Nakaoka T, Uemura S, Yano T, Nakagawa Y, Tanimoto T, Suehiro S. Does overgrowth of costal cartilage cause pectus excavatum? A study on the lengths of ribs and costal cartilages in asymmetric patients. J Pediatr Surg. 2009;44(7):1333–6.
Feng J, Hu T, Liu W, Zhang S, Tang Y, Chen R, et al. The biomechanical, morphologic, and histochemical properties of the costal cartilages in children with pectus excavatum. J Pediatr Surg. 2001;36(12):1770–6.
Shah B, Cohee A, Deyerle A, Kelly CS, Frantz F, Kelly RE, et al. High rates of metal allergy amongst Nuss procedure patients dictate broader pre-operative testing. J Pediatr Surg. 2014;49(3):451–4.
Haller Jr JA, Kramer SS, Lietman SA. Use of CT scans in selection of patients for pectus excavatum surgery: a preliminary report. J Pediatr Surg. 1987;22(10):904–6.
Frantz FW. Indications and guidelines for pectus excavatum repair. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2011;23(4):486–91.
Hebra A. Minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2009;21(1):76–84.
Nuss D, Kelly Jr RE. Indications and technique of Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum. Thorac Surg Clin. 2010;20(4):583–97.
Nuss D, Kelly Jr RE. Minimally invasive surgical correction of chest wall deformities in children (Nuss procedure). Adv Pediatr. 2008;55:395–410.
Kelly Jr RE. Pectus excavatum: historical background, clinical picture, preoperative evaluation and criteria for operation. Semin Pediatr Surg. 2008;17(3):181–93.
Kelly RE, Goretsky MJ, Obermeyer R, Kuhn MA, Redlinger R, Haney TS, et al. Twenty-one years of experience with minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum by the Nuss procedure in 1215 patients. Ann Surg. 2010;252(6):1072–81.
Johnson WR, Fedor D, Singhal S. Systematic review of surgical treatment techniques for adult and pediatric patients with pectus excavatum. J Cardiothorac Surg. 2014;9:25.
Rushing GD, Goretsky MJ, Gustin T, Morales M, Kelly Jr RE, Nuss D. When it is not an infection: metal allergy after the Nuss procedure for repair of pectus excavatum. J Pediatr Surg. 2007;42(1):93–7.
Haecker FM, Sesia SB. Intraoperative use of the vacuum bell for elevating the sternum during the Nuss procedure. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2012;22(9):934–6.
Jaroszewski DE, Johnson K, McMahon L, Notrica D. Sternal elevation before passing bars: a technique for improving visualization and facilitating minimally invasive pectus excavatum repair in adult patients. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2014;147(3):1093–5.
Rygl M, Vyhnanek M, Kucera A, Mixa V, Kyncl M, Snajdauf J. Technical innovation in minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum. Pediatr Surg Int. 2014;30(1):113–7.
Hebra A, Gauderer MW, Tagge EP, Adamson WT, Othersen Jr HB. A simple technique for preventing bar displacement with the Nuss repair of pectus excavatum. J Pediatr Surg. 2001;36(8):1266–8.
Noguchi M, Kondoh S, Fujita K. A simple and safe technique for manipulation of retrosternal dissection in the nuss procedure. Eplasty. 2014;14, e8.
Nuss D, Kelly Jr RE, Croitoru DP, Katz ME. A 10-year review of a minimally invasive technique for the correction of pectus excavatum. J Pediatr Surg. 1998;33(4):545–52.
Croitoru DP, Kelly Jr RE, Goretsky MJ, Lawson ML, Swoveland B, Nuss D. Experience and modification update for the minimally invasive Nuss technique for pectus excavatum repair in 303 patients. J Pediatr Surg. 2002;37(3):437–45.
Sacco Casamassima MG, Goldstein SD, Salazar JH, McIltrot KH, Abdullah F, Colombani PM. Perioperative strategies and technical modifications to the Nuss repair for pectus excavatum in pediatric patients: a large volume, single institution experience. J Pediatr Surg. 2014;49(4):575–82.
Lawson ML, Mellins RB, Tabangin M, Kelly Jr RE, Croitoru DP, Goretsky MJ, et al. Impact of pectus excavatum on pulmonary function before and after repair with the Nuss procedure. J Pediatr Surg. 2005;40(1):174–80.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cromeens, B.P., Goretsky, M.J. (2017). Thoracoscopic Treatment of Pectus Excavatum: The Nuss Procedure. In: Walsh, D., Ponsky, T., Bruns, N. (eds) The SAGES Manual of Pediatric Minimally Invasive Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43642-5_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43642-5_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43640-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43642-5
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)