The stages of examination, diagnosis and correction of pectus excavatum in children

Abstract

Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest wall deformity. It creates cosmetic defect, affects the psycho-emotional state and causes functional disorders the organs of mediastinum and lungs. From the beginning, clinical symptoms may not be noticeable, but as a child grows, the deformity progresses, becomes asymmetric and spreads to the ribs, irreversible spine di­sorders occur, cardiopulmonary system dysfunctions increase, and a psychological complex of physical inferiority is formed. The article discusses the main clinical manifestations of pectus excavatum, diagnostic features, and indications for choosing treatment method. The proposed algorithm is based on the synthesis of the knowledge of related specialists about the scope of necessary exa­minations, the joint participation of a multidisciplinary team in making a clinical diagnosis, determining the most rational tactics, and choosing modern treatment methods for a specific patient.