Pectus Carinatum: How It Affects The Patient

Beyond possible physiological issues of this condition – a rigid chest wall can lead to inefficient respiration and challenges with stamina – the deformity can have a psychological impact on the patient.

Most commonly, pectus carinatum appears in males between ages 11 and 14 as they reach puberty and is commonly the result of overgrowth of costal cartilage.

At CHKD, our pediatric surgeons at the Nuss Center treat pectus carinatum two ways. For manageable cases in which compression of less than 7.5 psi can positively affect the protrusion, the use of the Dynamic Compression Brace is recommended.

In other cases, our surgeons can perform minimally invasive surgery to correct the condition.