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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Pectus excavatum is a condition in which a child's breastbone is sunken into his or her chest. Also called funnel chest or sunken chest, pectus excavatum occurs in about one in 400 births. Pectus excavatum is more common in boys than in girls.
Severe cases of pectus excavatum can eventually interfere with the function of the child's heart and lungs. But even mild cases of pectus excavatum can make children feel self-conscious about their appearance. Surgery can correct the deformity.
- Boas SR. Skeletal diseases influencing pulmonary function. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/119560986-3/801968939/1608/977.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50418-7--subchapter1_7989. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- Kelly RE, et al. Surgical repair of pectus excavatum markedly improves body image and perceived ability for physical activity: Multicenter study. Pediatrics. 2008;122;1218.
- Pectus excavatum. The American Pediatric Surgical Association. http://www.eapsa.org/parents/resources/pectus_excav.cfm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- What is Marfan syndrome? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/mar/mar_whatis.html. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- What is scoliosis? National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Scoliosis/scoliosis_ff.asp. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- What is mitral valve prolapse? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/mvp/mvp_whatis.html. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- Chest X-ray (chest radiography). American College of Radiology. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=chestrad. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- CT: Chest. American College of Radiology. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=chestct. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- What is an electrocardiogram? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ekg/ekg_what.html. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- What is echocardiography? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/echo/echo_whatis.html. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- Malek MH, et al. Cardiovascular function following surgical repair of pectus excavatum: A meta-analysis. Chest. 2006;130:506.
- Johnson JN, et al. Cardiorespiratory function after operation for pectus excavatum. Journal of Pediatrics. 2008;153:359.
