PECTUS EXCAVATUM

When my chest caved in, I thought my condition was pretty rare.  It was scary, but I was very happy to discover that pectus is pretty common.  Many kids in my high school class knew that I had surgery the summer before my junior year. They just had no idea why I had surgery.  I was embarrassed by my chest, so I never told anyone at school that I had pectus. However, I now think it pretty cool, and I enjoy educating others about my disorder. Coincidently, since my surgery, my good friend NOW knows that the dent in his chest is due to pectus!

If you or a loved one have questions about your pectus, contact me any time through this website.  I am happy to do a Zoom call and answer any questions from a patient’s perspective. I host Zoom calls with teens and their parents from all over the country!

Here are some facts about pectus excavatum:

Pectus excavatum, also referred to as funnel or sunken chest is the most common chest wall deformity.  Pectus makes up 90% of all chest wall deformities and affects 1 out of every 300 to 400 children/adults.³ The cause of pectus excavatum is not really known. However, since it tends to run in families 30-40% of the time, genetics probably play a role.⁴ I have pectus excavatum, and my younger sister has mild pectus carinatum.

Is pectus more common in males or females?

Most articles on the Internet state pectus is more prevalent in males. However, there is actually an almost equal number of cases of males and females (1 in 200 women v. 1 in 333 men).⁵ One reason for this discrepancy is that males are diagnosed 3-5 times more than females.  Why are girls not diagnosed as often as boys? One reason is because the development of breast tissue usually occurs simultaneously to when pectus progresses the most.⁶ A recent study of 2,700 X-ray images noted a slightly higher incidence of pectus excavatum in females (0.5% compared to 0.3% males).⁷ Since many young girls don’t know that they have pectus excavatum, they are being diagnosed at an older age.  Also, when they are diagnosed, they are usually more symptomatic and with a higher Haller index.

What Makes the Chest Cave In?

Pectus excavatum is a congenital chest wall deformity that causes the sternum (breastbone) to sink into the chest. It is usually very visible and sometimes severe, so you will see an indentation of the chest wall. Before my surgery, my chest looked like somebody threw a volleyball at my chest and it left a permanent dent.  Pectus can also push the heart further to the left part of your chest (see my own MRI image under symptoms & diagnosis section).

Even though the sternum is affected, pectus excavatum is due to extra growth of the costal cartilages (the segments of cartilage that connect the ribs to the sternum), and not the sternum itself. The depression of the sternum can also make the lower ribs flare out (you can see it in my photos), which is also referred to as “rib flaring.” Pectus excavatum occurs in both children and adults, but it is most often discovered during the teen years when there is a rapid growth spurt. Many adults who have pectus have known about their condition for years. However, now due to social media, they are more knowledgeable of surgical options.

Check out some photos of my chest before and after my surgery under the “Before and After” tab.