The Stanford Health Care Adult Pectus Program offers advanced diagnosis and treatments to adults who need pectus excavatum repair.
Overview
What is pectus excavatum?
Your sternum is a long, flat bone in the middle of your chest wall. It connects to your first seven ribs by cartilage and helps to protect your heart and lungs. If you have pectus excavatum, your sternum and the cartilage part of your ribs stretch out and bow inward, making your chest look caved in. Pectus excavatum is also known as sunken chest or funnel chest.
Pectus excavatum often appears in children and becomes more noticeable as you age. This condition can affect your heart and lungs if it becomes severe. But even mild pectus excavatum can cause issues with self-esteem and depression due to the appearance of the chest.
We closely evaluate your condition to see what treatment approach makes sense for you. Our renowned doctors use nonsurgical and surgical pectus excavatum treatments to improve your health and appearance.
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Pectus Excavatum Symptoms
The main sign of pectus excavatum is a dent in the chest, either in the center or on one side. This indentation may range from minor to severe. Severe pectus excavatum can cause pressure from the sternum on the lungs and heart, leading to symptoms that may include:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Coughing or wheezing
- Difficulty tolerating exercise
- Dizziness or fainting
- Heart murmur, heart palpitations, or rapid heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Increased respiratory infections
- Shortness of breath
- Tiring easily
Many people first notice symptoms as teenagers during growth spurts. Symptoms tend to worsen as you get older. Sometimes symptoms don’t bother adults until they reach their 40s or 50s.
Causes of Pectus Excavatum
Though researchers don’t know the exact cause of pectus excavatum, this condition sometimes runs in families. People with pectus excavatum may also have other health conditions, including:
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Marfan syndrome
- Noonan syndrome
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- Poland syndrome
- Scoliosis
- Turner syndrome
Pectus Excavatum Diagnosis
To diagnose pectus excavatum, your doctor will examine your chest for an indentation. We may also recommend tests to look for problems related to your lungs and heart, including:
- Chest X-ray, CT scan, or MRI: These tests create detailed images of the indentation in your breastbone. They can show compression of your heart and lungs.
- Echocardiogram: This test uses sound waves to create a picture of your heart. An echocardiogram lets us see if chest compression impacts heart function and blood flow.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG): This test looks at your heart’s electrical impulses. We use an EKG to check for an irregular heart rhythm.
- Lung (pulmonary) function tests: We check your lungs to see whether pectus excavatum affects the amount of air in your lungs (lung volume) and your ability to breathe.
- Stress test: We look at blood flow to your heart while you exercise to see if pectus excavatum affects your exercise tolerance.
A CT scan also helps us to measure the severity of pectus excavatum. Using the images, we divide the width of your ribcage by the distance between your spine and sternum (Haller index). A Haller index of 2.5 or less is normal. A Haller index of more than 3.2 shows severe pectus excavatum that usually needs surgical treatment.
Pectus Excavatum
Pectus excavatum occurs when the sternum sinks into the chest, which can affect the heart and lungs. We offer diagnosis, advanced treatments, and support.
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