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The association of the diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle and the medial pectus excavatum was reported. We have been using soft silicone block, sculpted intraoperatively, to correct pectus excavatum. The horizontal access used, 2 cm at a subxiphoid position, allows us to expose the sternum and the rectus abdominis muscles (RAMs). We report a case, male, 31 years presenting medial pectus excavatum and supraumbilical diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle with a width of 35 mm at the costal arches, and 27 mm at 6 cm from the xiphoid process edge. The muscle borders presented a curved lateral deviation up to the insertion in the costal arches. The necessary space for the implant was dissected and the block was sculpted. The medial and superior aponeurosis borders of the RAM were incised at 6 cm from the xiphoid, and the posterior border of the RAM was released. The aponeurosis borders were brought together, promoting a medial and anterior positioning of the RAM. The inferior border of the implant was attached to the raw superior borders of the RAM. The result was considered satisfactory, and a magnetic resonance image 14 months after showed continuity of the implant and the muscles, promoting a uniform body contour. Registry: CAAE63181616.7.0000.0071., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

Background: To minimize cardiac perforation during the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE), several surgeons have suggested using a suction device to intraoperatively lift the sternum. Whether or not this technique is effective for all PE patients is not yet known. As such, our aim was to quantify the extent to which a suction device is capable of lifting the sternum with a short duration of use., Methods: 30 PE patients received a low-dose CT scan as part of standard PE evaluation. A Vacuum Bell suction was then applied for only two minutes, and a repeat CT scan was obtained only at the deepest point of the chest wall deformity. We compared chest dimensions before and after Vacuum Bell suction., Results: The Vacuum Bell lifted the sternum in all 29 patients included in the analysis. The absolute change in depth ranged from 0.29 to 23.67mm (M=11.02, SD=6.05). The average improvement in Haller index was 0.76. The suction was most effective for individuals with low BMI and smaller chest depths. Efficacy was not associated with gender, age, or chest morphology., Conclusions: The Vacuum Bell device effectively lifted the sternum in PE patients with different demographics and chest morphologies. Future research is needed to address whether or not the device reduces risk of cardiac perforation during MIRPE., Levels of Evidence: Prognosis Study Level IV., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Patients with pectus excavatum (PE) after prior sternotomy for cardiac surgery present unique challenges for repair of PE. Open repairs have been recommended because of concerns about sternal adhesions and cardiac injury. We report a multi-institutional experience with repair utilizing substernal Nuss bars in this patient population., Methods: Surgeons from the Chest Wall International Group were queried for experience and retrospective data on PE repair using sub-sternal Nuss bars in patients with a history of median sternotomy for cardiac surgery (November 2000 to August 2015). A descriptive analysis was performed., Results: Data for 75 patients were available from 14 centres. The median age at PE repair was 9.5 years (interquartile range 10.9), and the median Haller index was 3.9 (interquartile range 1.43); 56% of the patients were men. The median time to PE repair was 6.4 years (interquartile range 7.886) after prior cardiac surgery. Twelve patients (16%) required resternotomy before support bar placement: 7 pre-emptively and 5 emergently. Sternal elevation before bar placement was used in 34 patients (45%) and thoracoscopy in 67 patients (89%). Standby with cardiopulmonary bypass was available at 9 centres (64%). Inadvertent cardiac injury occurred in 5 cases (7%) without mortality., Conclusions: Over a broad range of institutions, substernal Nuss bars were used in PE repair for patients with a history of sternotomy for cardiac surgery. Several technique modifications were reported and may have facilitated repair. Cardiac injury occurred in 7% of cases, and appropriate resources should be available in the event of complications. Prophylactic resternotomy was reported at a minority of centres., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe a new surgical technique to treat pectus excavatum utilizing low hardness solid silicone block that can be carved during the intraoperative period promoting a better aesthetic result., Methods: Between May 1994 and February 2013, 34 male patients presenting pectus excavatum were submitted to surgical repair with the use of low hardness solid silicone block, 10 to 30 Shore A. A block-shaped parallelepiped was used with height and base size coinciding with those of the bone defect. The block was carved intraoperatively according to the shape of the dissected space. The patients were followed for a minimum of 120 days postoperatively. The results and the complications were recorded., Results: From the 34 patients operated on, 28 were primary surgeries and 6 were secondary treatment, using other surgical techniques, bone or implant procedures. Postoperative complications included two case of hematomas and eight of seromas. It was necessary to remove the implant in one patient due to pain, and review surgery was performed in another to check prothesis dimensions. Two patients were submitted to fat grafting to improve the chest wall contour. The result was considered satisfactory in 33 patients., Conclusion: The procedure proved to be fast and effective. The results of carved silicone block were more effective for allowing a more refined contour as compared to custom made implants.

The Nuss procedure requires the creation of a substernal tunnel for bar positioning. This is a manoeuvre that can be dangerous, and cardiac perforation has occurred in a few cases. Our purpose was to describe two technical modifications that enable the prevention of these fatal complications. A series of 25 patients with pectus excavatum were treated with a modification of the Nuss procedure that included the entrance in the left haemithorax first, and the use of the retractor to lift the sternum, with the consequent lowering displacement of the heart. These modified techniques have certain advantages: (i) the narrow anterior mediastinum between the sternum and the pericardial sac is expanded by pulling up the sternum; (ii) the thoracoscopic visualization of the tip of the introducer during tunnel creation is improved; (iii) the rubbing of the introducer against the pericardium is minimized; (iv) the exit path of the introducer can be guided by the surgeon's finger and (v) haemostasis and integrity of the pericardial sac can be more easily confirmed. We observed that with these manoeuvres, the risk of pericardial sac and cardiac injury can be markedly reduced.

Objective: Minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) is a surgical treatment for PE. During the procedure, a specialized introducer is used to tunnel across the mediastinum for thoracoscopic insertion of a metal bar. There have been reported cases of cardiac perforation during this risky step. The large introducer can be a dangerous lever in unskilled hands. We set out to determine the safety and feasibility of using regular instruments (i.e., not relying on special devices or tools) to create the retrosternal tunnel during MIRPE. Methods: This was a preliminary study of MIRPE with regular instruments (MIRPERI), involving 28 patients with PE. We recorded basic patient demographics, chest measurements, and surgical details, as well as intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: Patients undergoing MIRPERI had Haller index values ranging from 2.58 to 5.56. No intraoperative complications occurred. Postoperative complications included nausea/vomiting in 8 patients, pruritus in 2, and dizziness in 2, as well as atelectasis, pneumothorax with thoracic drainage, pleural effusion, and dyspnea in 1 patient each. Conclusions: In this preliminary study, the rate of complications associated with MIRPERI was comparable to that reported in the literature for MIRPE. The MIRPERI approach has the potential to improve the safety of PE repair, particularly for surgeons that do not have access to certain special instruments or have not been trained in their use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]