Surgical Repair Of Pectus Excavatum Research Articles

Application of an ultrasound-guided bilateral erector spinae plane block after the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum in children: a retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching.

To retrospectively analyze the effect of applying an ultrasound-guided bilateral erector spine plane block (ESPB) after the Nuss procedure for surgical repair of pectus excavatum (PE) in children. The subjects of the study were patients with severe PE who received the Nuss procedure in our hospital between 1 January 2019 and 30 November 2021. According to different methods for postoperative pain management, the enrolled patients were divided into two groups, the ultrasound-guided ESPB group and the thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) group. The primary outcome of this study was analgesic drug dosage and the secondary outcome was numerical rating scales (NRSs) between the two groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic, preoperative clinical evaluation, or surgical characteristics (P > 0.05). The catheter duration in the TEA group was significantly shorter than that in the ESPB group (P < 0.05), while the hospitalization time in the ESPB group was significantly shorter than that in the TEA group (P < 0.05). In terms of oral morphine equivalent comparison, the required dose of the TEA group was lower than that of the ESPB group on the 1st and 2nd day after the operation (P < 0.05), and there was no statistical difference between the two groups on the 3rd and 4th day after the operation (P > 0.05). The number of patients with an S-NRS ≥ 7 and D-NRS ≥ 7 in the TEA group at day 1 was lower than that in the ESPB group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups at other time points (P > 0.05). An ultrasound-guided ESPB used in Nuss surgery for children with funnel chest can provide good analgesia for surgery and shorten the postoperative rehabilitation and hospitalization time of patients. It is a safe and effective alternative to TEA.

Implementation Science Fundamentals: Pediatric Surgery Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol for Pectus Repair

IntroductionSurgical repair of pectus excavatum and carinatum in children has historically been associated with severe postoperative pain and prolonged hospitalization. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a multidisciplinary, multimodal approach designed to fast-track surgical care. However, obstacles to implementation have led to very few within pediatric surgery. The aim of this study is to outline the process of development and implementation of an ERAS protocol for pectus surgical repair using fundamental principles of implementation science. MethodsA multidisciplinary team of providers worked collaboratively to develop an ERAS protocol for surgical repair of pectus excavatum and carinatum and methods for identifying eligible patients. The surgical champion collaborated with all end users to review and revise the ERAS protocol, assessing all foreseeable barriers and facilitators prior to implementation. ResultsOur entire pediatric surgery team, nurses at every stage (clinic/preoperative/recovery/floor), physical therapy, and information technology contributed to the creation and implementation of an ERAS protocol with seven phases of care. The finalized version was implemented by end users focusing on four main areas: pain control, ambulation, diet, and education. Barriers and facilitators were continually addressed with an iterative process to improve the success of implementation. ConclusionsThis is one of the first studies in children which details the step-by-step process of developing and implementing an ERAS protocol for pectus excavatum and carinatum. The process of development and implementation of an ERAS protocol as outlined in this manuscript can serve as a model for future ERAS protocols in pediatric surgery.

Association of Regional Anesthetic Approach and Center-Level Surgical Volume with Outcomes after Surgical Repair of Pectus Excavatum

INTRODUCTION: Variability in regional anesthetic approach and surgical volume may affect outcomes in patients undergoing surgical management of pectus excavatum. This study investigated how regional anesthetic approach and center-level surgical volume impacts length of stay (LOS), postoperative narcotic use, and operating room (OR) utilization. METHODS: After IRB approval, we conducted a 10-center retrospective chart review of patients younger than 18 who underwent repair of pectus excavatum between 2015 and 2021. High-volume centers (HVC; 6/10 centers) were defined as performing 100 cases or more over the study period. Surgical time was incision to closure and incorporated within OR time. RESULTS: Of 920 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 757 (82%) underwent surgical repair at HVC; 20% received no regional anesthesia, 24% epidural, 15% erector spinae catheter, 19% cryo-analgesia, 10% cryo-analgesia with local rib block (LRB), and 12% other combinations including serratus anterior, paravertebral, and intrathecal morphine. Univariable associations between regional anesthesia type and center volume on outcomes are shown in Table 1. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors of shorter LOS were cryo-analgesia ± LRB and HVC. Epidural and LRB alone were independently associated with increased LOS. HVC, cryo-analgesia ± LRB, and LRB alone were independently predictive of less MME after surgery. Epidural, LRB, and cryo-analgesia with LRB were predictive of increased surgical and OR time; erector spinae catheters were predictive of longer OR time only. Table 1. - Impact of Regional Anesthesia and Surgical Volume on Outcomes Regional anesthesia and surgical volume Length of stay (d) Milligram morphine equivalents (MME) Surgical time (min) OR time (min) Regional type (n) No regional (185) 4 (3–5) 202 (120–338) 89 (72–131) 155 (130–198) Epidural catheter (223) 4 (3–5) 120 (66–218) 106 (77–167) 196 (161–251) Erector spinae catheter (139) 2 (2–2) 68 (51–124) 90 (75–109) 191 (172–216) Local rib block (64) 4 (3–5) 60 (4–100) 104 (76–136) 184 (152–227) Cryo-analgesia (179) 1 (1–1) 61 (23–125) 101 (80–130) 149 (120–186) Cryo-analgesia with local rib block (92) 2 (1–2) 30 (15–83) 141 (125–162) 205 (182–227) Center volume (n): High-volume (757) 3 (2–4) 83 (38–195) 100 (77–132) 180 (150–208) Low-volume (163) 4 (3–4) 122 (68–225) 137 (87–168) 209 (148–261) CONCLUSION: Anesthetic approach and center-level surgical volume are associated with length of stay, postoperative narcotic use, and OR utilization after repair of pectus excavatum.

Liposomal bupivacaine reduces opioid requirements following Ravitch repair for pectus excavatum.

The management of post-operative pain after surgical repair of pectus excavatum with the Ravitch procedure is challenging. Although previous studies have compared various methods of pain control in these patients, few have compared different local anesthetics. This retrospective analysis compares the use of bupivacaine to its longer-acting form, liposomal bupivacaine, in patients who had undergone pectus excavatum repair with the Ravitch method. Eleven patients who received local infiltration with liposomal bupivacaine were matched to 11 patients who received local infiltration utilizing bupivacaine with epinephrine. The primary outcome was total morphine milligram equivalents per kilogram body weight (MME/kg) over the complete length of hospital stay. Secondary outcomes included total cumulative diazepam, acetaminophen, ondansetron, and NSAID dose per kilogram body weight (mg/kg) over the course of the hospital stay, chest tube drainage (ml/kg body weight), number of post-operative hours until the first bowel movement, Haller Index, patient request for magnesium hydroxide, average pain scores from post-operative day 1 to post-operative day 5, and length of hospital stay. Continuous variables were reported as medians with inter-quartile ranges, and categorical values were reported as percentages and frequencies. The total MME/kg [1.7 (1.2-2.4) vs 2.9 (2.0-3.9), P = 0.007] and hydromorphone (mg/kg) [0.1 (0.0-0.2) vs 0.3 (0.1-0.4), P = 0.006] use in the liposomal bupivacaine group versus bupivacaine with epinephrine was significantly reduced over total length of hospital stay. Similarly, there was a reduction in diazepam use in the liposomal bupivacaine group versus the bupivacaine group [0.4 (0.1-0.8) vs 0.6 (0.4-0.7), P = 0.249], but this did not reach statistical significance. The total dose of ondansetron (mg/kg) was not statistically different when comparing the liposomal bupivacaine group to the bupivacaine group [0.3 (0.0-0.5) vs 0.3 (0.2-0.6), P = 0.332]. Interestingly, the total dose of acetaminophen (mg/kg) was statistically increased in the liposomal bupivacaine group compared to the bupivacaine with epinephrine group [172 (138-183) vs 74 (55-111), P = 0.007]. Additionally, the total chest tube drainage (ml/kg) was significantly reduced in the liposomal bupivacaine group [9.3 (7.5-10.6) vs 12.8 (11.3-18.5), P = 0.027]. Finally, the percentage of patients without requests for magnesium hydroxide to promote laxation was significantly higher in the liposomal bupivacaine group than in the bupivacaine group (63.6% vs 18.2%, P = 0.027). The use of liposomal bupivacaine for local infiltration in patients who undergo the Ravitch procedure for pectus repair offers advantages over plain bupivacaine, including reduced opioid consumption and opioid-related side effects. However, more data are needed to understand the significance of these findings.

Current Development of Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum (MIRPE)

For decades, open surgical repair was the only available method to treat congenital and acquired chest wall deformities (CWDs). In 1998, D. Nuss described a minimally invasive procedure for surgical repair of Pectus excavatum (PE). Today, the Nuss procedure is performed with increasing frequency worldwide and considered as the “gold standard”. After its introduction, the method experienced numerous modifications such as routine thoracoscopy and/or sternal elevation, increasing safety of the procedure. Placement of multiple bars and/or the so called cross-bar technique were introduced to correct complex CWDs. Standardized pain management, the introduction of cryo-analgesia and a standardized postoperative physiotherapy program including deep breathing exercises facilitate the establishment of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) process. However, the widespread use of the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) procedure has been associated with a significant number of serious complications. Furthermore, several studies report near-fatal complications, not only during bar placement, but also during bar removal. This review focuses upon the most relevant modifications, including recent published surgical techniques of MIRPE, in order to describe current developments in the field.

Utility of routine patch testing prior to surgical repair of pectus excavatum: A multidisciplinary experience via retrospective review at a single tertiary care center.

The Nuss procedure is the only implant procedure in which routine, rather than selective, preoperative patch testing is recommended. This practice has recently been called into question. To evaluate an updated experience of pre-implant patch testing in patients undergoing the Nuss procedure. A retrospective chart review of Nuss procedures from 2012 through 2020. Forty-five patients were identified for data collection. From 2012 to 2014, none of the 14 patients were patch tested. From 2015 to 2020, 26 of 31 (83.9%) were patch tested. Of those tested, only 2 had a positive patch test. A hypoallergenic titanium bar was inserted in each case. In total, there were zero bar reactions. The risks of patch testing are extremely small and should be weighed against the serious implications of even one bar allergy when deciding on future guidelines.

Adult pectus excavatum repair: national outcomes of the Nuss and Ravitch procedures.

BackgroundNational data is limited on pectus excavatum, the most common chest wall deformity which is often repaired using the Ravitch and Nuss procedures. The purpose of the study was to describe demographics and outcomes of adult patients who underwent surgical repair of pectus excavatum via open and minimally invasive thoracoscopic methods.MethodsA retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database from 2015 to 2018 was performed, capturing patients 18 years or older with pectus excavatum as the postoperative diagnosis. Patients were placed into two groups of minimally invasive (Nuss) and open (Ravitch) repair procedure code. Baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes were analyzed.ResultsA total of 168 adult patients were captured. Most of these patients were white (84.52%) male (69.64%) and 26 years old on average. Median operative time was longer in the open repair group [250 (IQR, 173–308) versus 122 (IQR, 94–160) minutes, P<0.0001]. Median length of stay was five days (IQR, 4–6) in the open group and three days (IQR, 2–4) in the minimally invasive group (P=0.2873).ConclusionsComplications after repair of pectus excavatum occur at similar rates between open and minimally invasive repair. Though minimally invasive repair decreases operative time and may decrease length of stay, the decision of type of procedure depends upon clinical scenario and factors unique to the individual patient.

Aesthetic outcomes after surgical repair of pectus excavatum in females: Differences between patients and professional evaluators.

BackgroundPectus excavatum is less common in females than in males, and it often aggravates a coexistent breast asymmetry. We conducted a study comparing female patients’ versus medical professionals’ evaluation of pectus excavatum repair to assess differences in aesthetic outcome ratings. Moreover, we evaluated the influence of surgical correction on patients’ self-perception.MethodsOf 30 female patients who were initially screened, 18 patients (mean age, 20 years) who underwent bar removal after surgical correction of pectus excavatum deformity participated in the survey (60%). They completed a questionnaire rating their appearance before and after surgery and responded to a psychological questionnaire about the changes that they had experienced. The mean interval between pectus bar removal and evaluation was 28 months. Standardized preoperative and postoperative patient photographs were evaluated using the same questionnaire by a panel of medical professionals and students (n=24) and the results were compared.ResultsPatients rated their preoperative deformity as more severe than the other evaluators, revealing the significant impact of the deformity on patients’ self-perception. Postoperatively, patient and professional evaluations were much better than before and were very similar. The psychological evaluation showed a clear improvement in well-being. The ratings of the medical professionals were not influenced by their degree of medical education.ConclusionsSurgical correction of pectus excavatum in female patients positively influences body perception and psychological well-being. It should therefore not be considered as a merely aesthetic correction, but as an important procedure to restore a patient’s self-perception.

Minimally invasive repair of the severe pectus excavatum in an infant

Abstract Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest wall abnormality. Nuss et al., in 1998 described minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum and this procedure is now the procedure of choice in many institutions for the surgical repair of pectus excavatum. However, since that time the optimal age and indications for surgical repair are still debate. Although there is no age limitation for the procedure, publications regarding the surgical management of infants with pectus deformities are few. We present a case of an 11-month-old girl with severe pectus excavatum who presented with a 3-day history of increasing dyspnea which was present since her birth. During her follow in pediatric intensive care unit she became apneic and underwent intubation. A chest tomography demonstrated pectus excavatum with right main stem bronchial compression and bilateral lower lobe pneumonia. She underwent minimally invasive repair of his pectus excavatum and was extubated on hospital day 10 and was discharged from the hospital on postoperative day 17.

The Nuss procedure for repair of pectus excavatum: 20 error traps and a culture of safety

In 1998, Donald Nuss changed the way the world thought about the surgical repair of pectus excavatum. The new operation adheres to sound orthopedic fundaments, but has a significantly higher learning curve than other operations in pediatric surgery. Variations in pectus excavatum type, severity, symmetry and chest wall pliability bring challenges. This article will detail common error traps and ways to avoid them when performing the Nuss procedure. As recent publications have shown, an operation done more than 50,000 times across the world may bring to light infrequent but devastating outcomes that may be preventable. The critical view of safety for pectus repair is discussed, as are areas where a culture of safety could optimize results on a larger scale. We will review potential opportunities to improve outcomes by identifying error traps in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of patients undergoing the Nuss procedure.

Integrating cardiac MRI into pre-operative planning for patients with pectus excavatum and right ventricular dysfunction

Abstract A 16-year old male presented with severe pectus excavatum (PE) with a Haller index of 3.4. The patient was a physically fit individual, with no identifiable limitation in his daily activities. However, despite his level of fitness, he experienced significant and reproducible exercise limitation at peak exertion. The patient was evaluated with a static echocardiogram that showed a normal right ventricle (RV), with reduced systolic function—RV fractional area change (FAC) measuring 20% (normal >35%). A pre-operative cardiac MRI confirmed reduced RV function (RV ejection fraction (EF) 35% - normal >50%), dilated RV, and reduced left ventricular (LV) function (LV EF 43% - normal >55%). He proceeded with a Nuss bar repair. Post-operative echocardiogram revealed improved RV function with RV FAC greater than 35%. We show that in patients with PE and minimal symptoms at rest, cardiac MRI may reveal additional functional information in addition to echocardiography, to explain exertional symptoms. We also demonstrate resolution of cardiac dysfunction with surgical repair of PE.

Improvement of cardiopulmonary function after minimally invasive surgical repair of pectus excavatum (Nuss procedure) in children.

Background:Severe pectus excavatum in children may result in cardiorespiratory functional impairment; therefore, we evaluated cardiopulmonary response to exercise before and after the Nuss procedure.Methods:Twenty-four physically active pediatric patients aged 9–18 years with severe pectus excavatum (Haller index >3.25) were included in the study. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing using treadmill and modified Bruce protocol was performed before and after the Nuss procedure.Results:Maximal oxygen uptake and oxygen pulse improved by 40.6% (32 ± 13–45 ± 10 ml/kg/min; P = 0.0001) and 44.4% (9 ± 4–13 ± 5 ml/beat; P = 0.03), respectively, after surgical correction of pectus excavatum by Nuss procedure. Significant improvement in maximum voluntary ventilation and minute ventilation after Nuss procedure was also noted.Conclusions:We found that, after repair of pectus excavatum by Nuss procedure, the exercise capacity as measured by maximal oxygen consumption improved significantly primarily due to increase in oxygen pulse, an indirect measurement of stroke volume.

Nonsurgical Treatment of Chest Wall Deformities: Contradiction or Complement?

For decades, open surgical repair was the only available method to treat congenital and acquired chest wall deformities (CWDs). In 1998, D. Nuss described a minimally invasive procedure for surgical repair of pectus excavatum (PE), and a few years later H. Abramson reported on his experience with the "reversed Nuss technique" for surgical repair of pectus carinatum (PC). Both procedures are performed with increasing frequency worldwide.However, nonsurgical measures such as vacuum bell (VB) therapy for conservative treatment of PE and more differentiated bracing systems for conservative treatment of PC were established 15 to 20 years ago. Nowadays, information on new therapeutic modalities circulates not only among surgeons and pediatricians, but also rapidly among patients. In particular, patients who refused operative treatment by previously available procedures now appear at the outpatient clinic and request to be considered for the new methods.Analyzing the increasing number of studies reporting on conservative treatment of CWDs as well as our own group of patients who visited a busy outpatient clinic in a small country within the last 15 to 20 years, we have to realize that the majority of patients asked for nonsurgical treatment of their CWD. Based on these experiences and results, we have to realize that nonsurgical treatment of CWD is no contradiction but a helpful complement to treat congenital and acquired CWDs and may be applied for the majority of patients suffering from a CWD.

Pectus excavactum-insights into its diagnosis and the current treatment options along with its clinical outcomes: two case reports

Pectus excavatum (PE) is a congenital sternal depression, one of the most frequent major congenital malformations of the chest wall. Generally, the malformation is not associated with functional disorders and often constitutes an aesthetic alteration with significant psychological distress. Nevertheless, the surgical repair of PE in childhood has been a well-established procedure with modified Ravitch repair (MRR) and minimally invasive repair (MIR) by Nuss been the two most popular methods of corrections. As a means of concealing the ugly skin scars caused by the MRR technique, the procedure was however highly modified with the use of bilateral inframammarian separated skin incisions. However, MIR has been a preferable technique due to its shorter operative time and minimal blood loss, but its postoperative complications have so far seemed to be its limiting factor whereas, extensive and combined deformities of the ventral chest wall are classically corrected using either MIR by Nuss and the MRR technique. Notwithstanding, Conservative treatment using alloplastic implants or vacuum bell to elevate the sternum in patients with mild PE defect is becoming a potential alternative and a means of preventing unnecessary surgical procedures mostly in mild funnel chest. Presented here is a case of PE surgical correction in a 12-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl with pectus bar dislodgment. This article analyses the chain of events between both patients, reviews the literature on the subject and other currently available treatment options.

Outcome of surgical repair of Pectus Excavatum in adults

BackgroundPectus Excavatum (PEx) is the most common congenital chest wall deformity, accounting for over 90% of all chest wall deformities. Surgical correction is recommended because severe PEx can affect the physical and psychological development of patients. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of surgical repair of Pectus Excavatum in adults during hospital course and results after 1 year.MethodsProspective study was carried out on 86 adult patients aged ≥ 15 years, 52 males and 34 females (mean age was 26 ± 1.5 years). All cases were divided into two groups, group I: (15–25 years old) and group II: (> 25 years old). Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed.ResultsStatistical analyses revealed significant improvement postoperatively of cosmetic satisfaction (P-value < 0.0001), pain (P-value =0.0003), exertional dyspnea (p-value <0.05) and exercise tolerance. The degree of chest compression was significantly improved after surgical correction within 12 months and the estimated measurement postoperatively of Haller Index showed significant reduction (p-value <0.001). Patient satisfaction postoperatively was excellent in 77.9% of all cases.ConclusionSurgical correction of Pectus Excavatum using open technique in adults had excellent post-operative outcome in the short term follow up that encourage performing the procedure for all cases. Long term results need longer period for follow up. Etiology and predisposing factors still need further research.

The modified percent depth: Another step toward quantifying severity of pectus excavatum without cross-sectional imaging

IntroductionCurrent approaches to quantifying the severity of pectus excavatum require internal measurements based on cross-sectional imaging. This study evaluated the modified percent depth (MPD), a novel index of severity that can be obtained with external measurements, potentially avoiding the need for cross-sectional imaging. MethodsPatients undergoing surgical repair of pectus excavatum (pectus group), and those undergoing cross-sectional imaging for unrelated reasons (control group), between 2010 and 2016 were included. The MPD of the deformity was calculated using external (i.e. skin surface to skin surface) measurements from the radiographic images. The same external measurements were taken using chest calipers on a subset of these patients in the outpatient clinic. The optimal threshold for MPD that defined severe pectus deformity was derived from receiver–operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. Sensitivity and specificity of the MPD was compared with that of the Haller Index (HI) and Correction Index (CI). ResultsThere were 92 children (49 pectus, 43 controls) included. The median MPD was 20.2% and 4.2% for pectus and control patients, respectively (p<0.0001). An MPD cutoff of 10% optimally discriminated between severe pectus patients and controls by ROC analysis. An MPD of >10% had 98% sensitivity and 98% specificity for severe pectus deformity. Sensitivity and specificity were respectively 93% and 93% for HI >3.25, and 100% and 79% for CI >10. ConclusionAn MPD >10% performs slightly better than the HI and CI in distinguishing patients with severe pectus deformities. This novel measurement approach offers distinct advantages over existing indices, in that it does not require cross-sectional imaging and can be done using chest calipers in the office setting. Further studies with larger sample size are needed to verify reproducibility of the technique. Level of evidenceLevel II, Study of Diagnostic Test.

Classification of Pectus Excavatum According to Objective Parameters From Chest Computed Tomography

Previous classification systems of pectus excavatum have been based on subjective morphologic characteristics. We sought to suggest a new classification system derived from objective variables. Patients who underwent surgical repair of pectus excavatum without a history of previous chest operations were included. Objective morphologic variables were measured from chest computed tomography scan images, and classification was performed by hierarchical clustering of measured indexes. Clinical relevance of the suggested classification was also verified. Included were 230 patients who underwent operation for pectus excavatum from January 2001 to August 2013. These patients were classified into two major groups: typical (group I; 197 [85.7%]) and atypical (group II; 33 [14.3%]). Group I was further classified into three subgroups according to flatness and symmetry of the chest wall. Group II was further classified into four subgroups according to the severity of sternal torsion and sternal angulation. Two unique types of deformity were identified in group II: the double distortion subgroup (group IIa; 8 [3.5%]) and the reverse torsion subgroup (group IIc; 16 [7.0%]). Scoliosis was more frequently associated with group IIa (p= 0.008). Morphologic classification obtained from computed tomography indexes hierarchical clustering identified seven distinct subtypes of pectus excavatum.

Abstract 16138: Chest and Cardiac Compression on CT/MRI and on TEE Predicts Improvement in Right Heart Chamber Size and Right Ventricular Deformation Post Pectus Excavatum Repair Surgery

Background: Pectus excavatum (PE) deformity involves posterior depression of the sternum and adjacent costal cartilages. The relationship of CT/MRI chest cardiac compression indices used as indications for surgical repair of PE with echocardiographic findings and with improvement in cardiac chamber compression and function post PE repair is unknown. Methods: We evaluated right atrial (RA) size, tricuspid annulus (TA size, right ventricular (RV) outflow tract size as well as RV 2D strain on intra-operative trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) immediately pre and post surgical PE repair. Inspiratory and expiratory Haller Index (HI) and cardiac compression indices (CCI) were measured on pre op CT/MR scans (Figure). Offline measurement of chamber dimensions on TEE images was performed and Speckle tracking strain measurements were made using Syngo US Workplace software (Siemens). P&lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results: 60 patients, 73% male, 27% female, age 33.6±10.3 yrs underwent PE repair following CT/MRI from 2010-2014 (Figure). There was a strong correlation between expiratory CT/MRI chest AP diameter and pre-op RA size (panel A). Pre op RA and TA compression on TEE inversely correlated with pre op RV global longitudinal strain rate(RVGLSR) (panels B &amp; C). CCI predicted improvement in RA size post PE repair (panels D &amp; E). In addition pre op RA size on TEE correlated with improvement in RVGLSR post PE repair surgery (panel F). Conclusion: In patients with PE deformity, pre surgical CCI correlated with right-sided cardiac chamber compression on pre op TEE. Severity of chest and cardiac compression also predicted magnitude of improvement in right-sided chamber size and RV longitudinal deformation post PE repair. Our findings provide insight regarding the beneficial effects of PE surgery on right heart chamber compression and improvement in RV function and the important role of intraoperative TEE for patients undergoing PE repair surgery.

Paravertebral regional blocks decrease length of stay following surgery for pectus excavatum in children

PurposeManagement of postoperative pain following repair of pectus excavatum has traditionally included thoracic epidural analgesia, narcotics, and benzodiazepines. We hypothesized that the use of intercostal or paravertebral regional blocks could result in decreased inpatient length of stay (LOS). MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of 137 patients (118 Nuss and 19 Ravitch — Nuss and Ravitch patients were analyzed separately) who underwent surgical repair of pectus excavatum with pain management via epidural, intercostal, or paravertebral analgesia from January 2009–December 2012. Measured outcomes included LOS, pain scores, benzodiazepine/narcotic requirements, emesis, professional fees, hospital cost, and total cost. ResultsIn the Nuss patients, LOS was significantly reduced in the paravertebral group (p<0.005) and the intercostal group (p<0.005) compared to the epidural group, but was paradoxically countered by a nonsignificant increase in total cost (p=0.09). While benzodiazepine doses/day was not increased in the paravertebral group (p=0.08), an increase was seen in narcotic use (p<0.005). Despite increased narcotic use, no differences were seen in emesis between epidural and paravertebral use. Compared to epidural, pain scores were higher for both intercostal and paravertebral on day one (p<0.005), but equivalent for paravertebral on day three (p=0.62). The Ravitch group was too small for detailed independent statistical analysis but followed the same overall trend seen in the Nuss patients. ConclusionOur use of paravertebral continuous infusion pain catheters for pectus excavatum repair was an effective alternative to epidural analgesia resulting in shorter LOS but not a decrease in overall cost.

Surgical repair of pectus excavatum relieves right heart chamber compression and improves cardiac output in adult patients—an intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic study

BackgroundCardiac compression in pectus excavatum (PE) deformity and effect of PE surgery on cardiac function in adults have been debated. We examined the effect of PE correction on right heart size and cardiac output. MethodsA retrospective evaluation was performed of 168 adult patients who underwent a modified Nuss PE repair with intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography from 2011 to 2014. Seventeen patients with prior PE repair undergoing bar removal acted as controls. ResultsMean age was 33.0 years (range, 18 to 71 years). There was an increase in right atrium (15.1%), tricuspid annulus (10.9%), and right ventricular outflow tract (6.1%) size after surgery (all P < .0001). Right ventricular cardiac output measured in a subset of 42 patients improved by 38%. No change in chamber size or cardiac output occurred before and after bar removal surgery in the control group. ConclusionsSurgical correction of PE deformity caused a significant improvement in right heart chamber size and cardiac output.