Pre and post operative care

• Care should be taken with personal hygiene to avoid possible infections.
• The wound may not be touched or wet. In addition, the dressing should not be lifted until the first check-up by the surgeon.
• It is not advisable to spend a long time in a decubitus position (lying down).
• It is advisable to sleep on your back and avoid being on your side during sleep (at least during the first 3 months).
• Anomalous or rigid positions should not be adopted, which a priori may avoid pain, but which may have consequences related to the bad position.
• You must maintain a good trunk position and avoid exposing yourself to risky situations.
• Avoid environments with crowds of people, violent physical contact and exposure to risk situations.
• Absolute rest for about a week after the intervention

If in doubt, follow the surgeon’s criteria.

It should be noted that metal fixation devices or thoracic implants are generally not capable of withstanding activity levels or loads tolerated by a normal, healthy chest wall.

In case of not following the instructions recommended by the surgeon, the Pectus Up can loosen, move or come off and, if the chest is also subjected to bearing weights or loads, or to very intense activities, or if the patient suffers traumatic injuries in the chest.

Activities which might be performed will always depend on the evolution of each patient and the recommendations of the surgeon. In general, the recommendations are as follows:

• Perform gentle breathing exercises on a daily basis during the first fifteen days of the intervention, such as gently inspiring until the chest is completely filled; then exhale slowly until the lung is empty of air.
• You can move and raise your arms gradually, acclimatizing to the new situation successively and continuously, without causing pain.
• Relative rest during the first month. This will consist of gradually resuming activities of daily living, maintaining good trunk posture, avoiding movements that cause pain.
• Avoid twisting your torso and lifting weights during this first month.
• You can go to school, university or your usual job after the first check-up with the surgeon, if the surgeon considers it appropriate and the patient feels well.
• Resume sports activity three months after the intervention.
• Refrain from sports that involve extensive movement of the torso such as golf, swimming (basically backstroke and breaststroke), tennis, lifting weights such as bench presses, etc. ., for a period of six months.
• Avoid all high-risk and contact sports. Contact sports are not recommended for at least the first six months after implantation. Severe trauma to the anterior chest can cause serious intrathoracic injury.
• Avoid violent physical contact.