The vacuum bell, also known as vacuum pump or Eckart Klobe ® suction cups, is a European medical device designed for the correction of pectus excavatum. It was invented in Germany, where its commercialization began.
The vacuum bell, developed by Eckart Klobe, originated from the inventor’s experience and desire to provide a non-surgical treatment for pectus excavatum. Today, this vacuum bell device is established as the best non-surgical and non-invasive alternative for treating pectus excavatum.
It is a rubber device shaped like a bell or cup, connected to a manual pump to create a vacuum. Treatment with the vacuum bell is applied externally and works to elevate the pectus excavatum (sunken chest).
The vacuum bell is designed for home use, allowing patients to use it autonomously in their own homes. To use it correctly, the rubber device is placed over the area of the chest with the most indentation, and by using the pump, air inside the bell is drawn outwards, creating a vacuum.
Consulting with a surgeon will help determine the exact size of the vacuum bell your chest needs. Like all treatments, it may not be effective for all patients and depends on the severity of your pectus excavatum and the need for ongoing treatment.
The Vacuum Bell is fully compatible with the Pectus Up technique before undergoing surgery. In children under 8 years of age, it is used as an initial treatment to monitor their growth and potentially implant the extrathoracic Pectus Up bar. In adults with less flexible chests, it helps increase the elasticity of the chest bone structures, making corrective elevation with the Pectus Up ® implant even more feasible.
If you have already experienced the vacuum bell and believe your next step is the definitive correction with the fast-recovery Pectus Up surgery, without health risks, please let us know your case.
