Are Purely Cosmetic Procedures Appropriate for the Management of Pectus Excavatum? A Qualitative Study of Pediatric Surgeons

Abstract

Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common congenital chest wall deformity, characterized by posterior displacement of the sternum and costal cartilages leading to a concave anterior chest wall. While the Nuss procedure is the current gold standard for surgical management of PE, some children experience significant psychosocial distress related to the appearance of their chest but do not meet the standard Haller index threshold of 3.2 for surgical repair [1]. Others may meet criteria but are not interested in the invasiveness of the Nuss procedure.

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