Pectus excavatum

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Pectus excavatum

Ribcage

Pectus excavatum repair - series

Overview

Treatment

Pectus excavatum

Definition:

Pectus excavatum is the descriptive term for an abnormal formation of the rib cage, in which the distance from the breastbone (sternum) to the backbone (vertebrae) is decreased, giving the chest a caved-in or sunken appearance.

Alternative Names:

Funnel chest

Considerations:

Pectus excavatum is a congenital (present at birth) abnormality that can be mild or severe. The child typically has a depression in the center of the chest over the sternum, and this may appear quite deep. It is caused by excessive growth of the the connective tissue joining the ribs to the breastbone, which causes an inward malformation of the sternum.

If pectus excavatum is severe, it may affect the heart and lungs, making exercise difficult. Also, the appearance of the chest may cause psychological difficulty for the child.

Pectus excavatum may occur as the only abnormality, or in association with other syndromes.

Common Causes:

Isolated defect (i.e., not associated with other problems)
Familial pectus excavatum
Marfan's syndrome
Rickets

Review Date: 12/1/2005
Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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