Pectus excavatum (PE) is a
deformity of the
sternum that ranges from
mild to
severe. The chest caves inwards in the center (place a ball on something like a pillow and you'll see what it looks like). Two common names are "
funnel chest" and "
sunken chest". The result will range from
cosmetic problems for mild cases to smaller
lung capacity and problems with
heart displacement for severe cases.
Scoliosis is common among all cases. Approximately 1 in 500 people have PE, and it is more common in
males. It is something that can be
inherited.
The cause of PE varies from person to person, but here is a list of conditions that have been associated with it:
There are three known ways of correcting PE: the
Ravitch,
Nuss, and
Leonard procedure. For mild cases, certain
exercises and better
posture have been known to help. Some
correction methods are easier to do when younger because the
bones will be softer.
I'm surprised by how few people know about this deformity, even though it's not that rare. My childhood doctor didn't even know what it was. Many doctors are known to tell patients to just shrug it off because they think it's only a cosmetic problem. That's not a very good thing to do because it can get worse with age and make treating it more difficult.