Frequently Asked Questions
It is not intended that the information offered here about the Pectus Excavatum condition and its treatments replace the advice a doctor or other health professional might give; equally, the information on this website must not be used to diagnose a health problem or condition. Hence, you are advised to consult a health professional to obtain any further information you may need regarding your best treatment option. (For further details see LEGAL NOTICE & PRIVACY POLICY)
PRE-INTERVENTION
What is the best age for surgical treatment of Pectus Excavatum?
The ideal age for intervention in patients with symptomatic Pectus Excavatum is from 8 years old to pre-pubescence, 12-14 years old (adolescents prior to growth spurt) to avoid the possible complications arising from the disease itself and the psychological problems. That being said, thanks to the simplicity of the Pectus Up technique, adult patients can also benefit from surgical treatment with this new technique.
Is there an age limit for Pectus Excavatum surgery with the Pectus Up method?
There is no age limit, although treatment should be made the earlier the better, in order to avoid possible complications arising from the disease itself and the psychological problems that may appear.
Thanks to the ease of the technique, adult patients can also benefit from surgical treatment. Patients have been operated on with good results up to 46 years old, although these are exceptional cases.
Surgical indication will always depend on the type and grade of the Pectus Excavatum and the morphology of the patient, and not so much on his/her age.
Is Pectus Excavatum hereditary?
There is a genetic predisposition towards these anomalies. Hereditary Pectus Excavatum has been observed in approximately 35-45% of cases.
Is physical exercise recommendable for an adult Pectus Excavatum patient?
It is always recommended to exercise so that the patient uses a correct posture and improves his/her physical condition. In people affected by Pectus Excavatum it is advisable to stretch and make breathing exercises to increase lung capacity. It is also advisable to practice swimming since it facilitates this as well as it strengthens the muscles.
Can gymnastic exercises correct or improve the Pectus Excavatum?
Gymnastic exercises will serve as a complement to provide improvements in terms of breathing, strength and endurance, without there being a correction of the deformity, although an improvement in the muscular and physical part in general. Exercises for building muscle in the upper trunk area can improve the aesthetic appearance, although caution should be taken since sometimes the result may turn out to be the opposite, i.e. that the sinking is even more noticeable. We advise seeking advice from specialists in this area.
What kind of activities is the most advisable?
The best option for improvement is undoubtedly stretching, since it allows the chest to be expanded so that the cartilage attached to the sternum and the adjacent ribs adapt to use an upright posture.
Therefore, stretching will be key in correcting, some way, the appearance of the Pectus Excavatum. It must not be forgotten that warm-up exercises will be essential for good adaptation and to avoid overstretching different parts of the body.
When should a patient have surgery on their Pectus Excavatum?
The indication to undergo surgical treatment with Pectus Up will be based on the clinical diagnosis of Pectus Excavatum, and on meeting the criteria described in the Pectus Excavatum treatment section of this website. However, the decision will always depend on the surgeon’s judgment and the patient’s acceptance.
What type of deformity -mild or severe- is ideal for the treatment with the new implant Pectus Up?
The indication for surgical treatment of Pectus Excavatum, in general, will be conditioned by the physical or psychological criteria that justify the procedure. In the case of treatment with the new implant Pectus Up, both mild and severe cases can be corrected with a high success rate, although this will always depend on each particular patient. In very specific and complex cases, the Pectus Up technique can be complemented with other surgical procedures.
What are the results for patients operated on with the Pectus Up?
Until the end of December 2019, more than 130 surgeries have been performed on patients with Pectus Excavatum of different ages and degrees of severity. Among them, some have wanted to share their experience in a testimony format that can be found in the Testimonials section of the Patients section of this website.
The surgeries have been performed in countries such as Spain, France, Portugal, Ireland, Colombia, Mexico and Chile. The first case was performed in 2012, and 15 implants have already been removed with good results. Publication of the cases are being written by the specialized centers.
Among the surgical treatments for Pectus Excavatum, is Pectus Up technique a high-risk surgery?
No. The Pectus Up technique is minimally invasive, involving an extrathoracic and non-risky surgical repair of the Pectus Excavatum. But when using general anesthesia, it cannot be ruled out that the patient experiences a complication, as in any other surgical procedure under these same conditions.
Is the patient under anaesthesia during the Pectus Excavatum surgery?
Yes, the patient will undergo general anesthesia in a conventional operating room. It is not ruled out that in the medium term the surgery can be performed as aMajor Outpatient Surgery.
POST-INTERVENTION
How long are patients who have undergone Pectus Excavatum surgery with the Pectus Up usually hospitalized?
Patients usually stay in the hospital for 1 to 4 days (average of 2) after surgical repair, depending on the age and grade of the Pectus Excavatum.
Is the Pectus Up implant a standard size or is it adapted to each patient?
The size will depend on the dimension of the chest and the degree of the Pectus Excavatum, always depending on each particular patient.
What size scar remains after surgically repairing Pectus Excavatum with Pectus Up?
The typical scar size is some 2-3 cm wide.
What is the typical care needed after a Pectus Excavatum surgery using the Pectus Up?
Care must be taken with hygiene. Do not touch the wound or get it wet. Additionally, the dressing should not be removed until the first examination by the surgeon. Twice-daily deep breathing exercises are recommended.
What precautions should be followed after a Pectus Excavatum surgery with the Pectus Up?
It is not advisable to stay in a lying position for a long time.
It is convenient to sleep on your back and to prevent from lying on your side overnight (at least for the first 3 months).
Abnormal or rigid positions apparently pain helping with pain reduction should not be used, since that may be the cause of other subsequent alterations.
The patient must maintain a good position of the torso and avoid the exposure to risky situations.
Do not make sudden twists of the torso, lift weights or carry backpacks for at least one month.
Avoid crowded environments and violent physical contact.
How long is the rest period and what does it entail?
The rest period is around a week after the surgery. Relative rest of an approximate duration of 15 days is recommended.
This will consist of carrying out the activities of daily life, using a good posture, refraining from sports activities and not exposing oneself to risky situations.
Patients can go to school or usual work, always respecting the surgeon’s recommendations.
What activities or exercises can be undertaken during the first 15 days?
Relative rest, trying to avoid movements that cause pain, and gradually resume activities of daily living.
Perform gentle breathing exercises on a daily basis, such as breathing in gently until the chest is completely filled; then slowly exhale until the lung is airless.
Patients can move and raise arms gradually, progressively adapting to the new situation, without causing pain.
What activities can be undertaken after a Pectus Excavatum surgery with the Pectus Up?
Always depending on the evolution of each patient, bearing in mind that the recovery is faster the younger the person is, patients can go to school, university or regular work from the first examination by the surgeon, if the surgeon considers it and the patient feels well.
They also can start sports activity between three and six months after the surgery, but refraining from high risk sports or those involving movement of the torso, such as golf, tennis, etc., for a period of one year.
What aspects should be considered when starting activities after a surgery with the Pectus Up?
Metallic fixation devices or thoracic implants generally are not capable of withstanding the activity levels and loads that a normal and healthy chest wall tolerates.
In the case of not following the instructions recommended by the surgeon, the Pectus Up can be loosened or moved, if the patients support weights or loads, or they perform very intense activities.
Failure to follow postoperative instructions could lead to complications. See Complications section.
When will I be up and about after the Pectus Up procedure?
This is relative. The reference would be a person who has family, work or academic activities and a medium-low level of physical activity (without activities entailing a high level of risk).
After Pectus Excavatum surgical repair with the Pectus Up, the patient should remain at rest for about a week after surgery, and then at relative rest of approximately.
When will I be able to start sports activity after a surgical treatment of the Pectus Excavatum with the Pectus Up?
You will be able to play any sports activity, as long as you avoid high-risk sports or special sports such as golf, swimming (backstroke) or tennis for a period of six months, since these sports involve a broad movement of the torso. It will always depend on the consent of the surgeon.
Is it possible for a patient to do sports activities at school?
After the surgery, activities of daily living should be resumed progressively, avoiding movements that can cause pain.
Sports activities can be done at school one month after the intervention, as long as the surgeon deems this advisable and the patient feels well.
Torso twists shall be avoided, as well as weight lifting, for the first month.
Violent physical contact shall be avoided.
Start of intense sports activity is recommended from six months after the surgery.
The patients shall refrain from sports involving torso movement, e.g. tennis, etc., for one-year period.
What should be done if the wound shows some alterations?
If the wound undergoes any changes, such as suppuration, swelling and / or opening of a part, the patient shall ask the surgeon or the hospital.
What should be done in case of pain?
It is necessary to follow the instructions of the prescribed analgesic therapy after medical discharge. In the case of experiencing pain, patients can take the pain relievers recommended by the surgeon, and if it persists, they shall contact him.
What type of analgesia is needed after the Pectus Excavatum surgery?
Scheduled analgesia, as prescribed, mostly ibuprofen or paracetamol.
Does the patients need to sleep in a specific position after Pectus Excavatum surgery with Pectus Up?
Sleep on their back and avoid lying on their side overnight (at least for the first 3 months).
How long after the surgery will it not be possible to travel on vacation?
Patients can travel on vacation, as long as they maintain a good trunk position and avoid exposing themselves to risky situations.
Do not lift or hold suitcases, or lift weights, for at least one month.
Avoid crowded environments.
What cautions should be taken in case of traveling by plane?
The device can test positive on the metal detector. It is advisable to carry a document from your surgeon indicating the presence of the metallic implant in the chest.
When is the Pectus Up implant removed from the chest? Can the Pectus Up remain implanted forever?
Initially it remains implanted for about 3-4 years, but in some cases it can be longer and even permanently. This will always depend on the age and especially on the evolution of each specific patient, and always at the surgeon’s discretion.
Is it difficult to remove the Pectus Up implant?
No, removal is an outpatient surgery, without requiring hospitalization, although in the case of young children, they usually stay overnight.
Can a patients undergo a computed tomography (CT) after a Pectus Excavatum surgery with the Pectus Up technique?
CT scans may be performed, although the image of the chest may be somewhat distorted (artifacts). NO MRI SCANS CAN BE DONE.
Will the edges of the implant be noticeable on the surface of the skin?
In very, very thin patients, the plate may sometimes be noticed under the skin in the central area. If the surgeon considers this possibility, a small modification can be made in the technique at the end of the surgery. In the other areas, visualization is not possible since it is not a subpectoral implant.