[Chest Wall Deformities in Children and Adolescents]

Abstract

Chest wall deformities as a whole are relatively common in children and adolescents, although they comprise a wide spectrum of entities, some of them rare. Pectus excavatum has the highest prevalence. While some patients are asymptomatic, others suffer from substantial limitations. All symptomatic patients should be offered treatment. Minimally invasive surgical correction is the more effective option of treatment, besides the alternative application of a suction bell. Pectus carinatum and combined manifestations of chest wall deformities can also lead to physiological and psychosocial impairment and require treatment tailored to the individual patient in such cases. Syndromal chest wall deformities, such as Jeune syndrome, comprise a separate group of rare diseases that are associated with considerable, occasionally life-threatening comorbidities. These patients should be cared for in centres with appropriate expertise in an interdisciplinary and multimodal manner. This review discusses the different chest wall deformities encountered in paediatric surgical practice, along with their significance and possible therapeutic approaches.