Preliminary results after Nuss procedure

Abstract

Introduction: Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most frequent anterior chest deformity and occurs in approximately 1 in 1000 live births. In 1998 Donald Nuss introduced a new minimal invasive operative technique for PE which avoids any cartilage resection or sternum osteotomy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the short and medium time results after minimal invasive correction of pectus excavatum and to present our improvements to the original Nuss technique.

Material and methods: During a two years period seven PE patients were treated by us using Nuss technique. The intervention represents a premiere because it was the first Nuss operation performed by a team composed exclusively by Romanian surgeons. We present you the seven cases, our operative technique and the short and medium term outcomes.

Main results: No itraoperative incidences were recorded. Postoperative course was good for all patients. Complication occurred in three cases: two pleural effusions and a wound dehiscence. They have been all successfully resolved with no further events. Overall the therapeutic and cosmetic results were considered good by patients and their parents.

Conclusion: Preliminary results indicate that Nuss operation for PE correction is a safe surgical technique with excellent cosmetic outcomes. More cases and long time results are necessary to fully evaluate this technique.