Pectus Excavatum Treatments
Our experienced team of chest wall specialists offers the most advanced treatments for pectus excavatum. We work with thoracic surgeons, heart and lung specialists, radiologists, and plastic surgeons to bring you the highest level of care, including minimally invasive options. We also provide compassionate support throughout your care journey.
- Specialized expertise for all chest wall conditions, including pectus excavatum
- Advanced imaging services to accurately identify pectus excavatum, as well as to evaluate heart and lung function
- Skilled thoracic surgeons with experience in minimally invasive Nuss procedure techniques
- Clinical trials that offer eligible patients earlier access to the latest treatments for chest wall conditions
- Comprehensive support services to help you understand treatment plans and feel better
- Ease of access to complete screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care at locations throughout the Bay Area and through virtual visits
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Interested in an Online Second Opinion?
The Stanford Medicine Online Second Opinion program offers you easy access to our world-class doctors. It’s all done remotely, and you don’t have to visit our hospital or one of our clinics for this service. You don’t even need to leave home!
Visit our online second opinion page to learn more.
If you have mild pectus excavatum with no symptoms, you may not need treatment. But if you have symptoms that affect your heart or breathing, or if you’re not happy with the appearance of your chest, treatment may benefit you.
Treatment for pectus excavatum depends on several factors, including:
- Severity of your symptoms
- Whether you’ve had previous surgeries
- Your age
- Your other health conditions and overall health
Our doctors will suggest the most appropriate treatment for your situation. Treatments we offer include:
Surgery
If you have severe pectus excavatum (a Haller index of more than 3.2), we may recommend surgery. Pectus excavatum repair can improve breathing and heart problems. It can also correct the indentation of your sternum to improve your appearance.
Many patients with severe pectus excavatum have surgery to correct it while they are children. Surgical repair in adults can be more complicated. Previous procedures, including breast surgery or breast implants, and factors such as calcified cartilage, can affect pectus excavatum surgery.
Surgeons in our Adult Pectus Program can modify techniques to offer safe surgical options for adult patients. We also offer surgical repair (revision surgery) to adults who have had previous surgery for pectus excavatum. Pectus excavatum surgery techniques we offer include:
- Nuss procedure: This minimally invasive surgery uses two small incisions on the sides of your chest. We insert a tiny camera through the incisions to help us place a curved steel bar under your sternum. The bar helps to raise and reshape your sternum. After two to three years, we remove the bar during same-day surgery.
- Ravitch procedure: This surgery uses a single larger incision in the middle of the chest. We remove the cartilage attaching your ribs to your sternum. Then we move the sternum away from your heart and lungs and hold it in place using a metal bar (strut) or other supports. After 12 months, we remove the strut or supports during same-day surgery.
After surgery, we may freeze the nerves of a portion of your chest wall (cryoablation). Cryoablation can help reduce pain and your recovery time.
