Pectus excavatum

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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

While the exact cause of pectus excavatum is unknown, it may be an inherited condition because it sometimes runs in families.

Pectus excavatum can occur in conjunction with other medical conditions, such as:

  • Marfan syndrome. This hereditary condition affects the connective tissue, often resulting in limbs and fingers that are especially long and thin.
  • Scoliosis. An abnormal curvature of the spine, scoliosis usually occurs in pre-adolescent girls.
  • Mitral valve prolapse. The mitral valve separates the two chambers of the left side of the heart. Defects in the mitral valve may reduce the heart's efficiency in pumping blood.
Risk factors Symptoms
References
  1. Boas SR. Skeletal diseases influencing pulmonary function. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Feb. 17, 2011.
  2. Tzelepis GE, et al. Pectus excavatum. In: Mason RJ, et al. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/192068760-2/0/1288/0.html. Accessed Feb. 17, 2011.
  3. Mayer OH. Pectus excavatum: Etiology and evaluation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 17, 2011.
  4. Jaroszewski DE, et al. Current management of pectus excavatum: A review and update of therapy and treatment recommendations. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. 2010;23:230.
  5. Mayer OH. Pectus excavatum: Treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 17, 2011.
  6. What is Marfan syndrome? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/mar/mar_whatis.html. Accessed Feb. 18, 2011.
  7. 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. 18, 2011.
  8. 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. 18, 2011.
  9. Sugarbaker DJ, et al. Chest wall deformities: Depression deformities (pectus excavatum). In: Townsend CM Jr, et al. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1565/0.html. Accessed Feb. 22, 2011.
  10. Jaroszewski DE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Ariz. March 8, 2011.
  11. Kelly RE, et al. Twenty-one years of experience with minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum by the Nuss procedure in 1215 patients. Annals of Surgery. 2010;252:1072.
  12. Nasr A, et al. Comparison of the Nuss and the Ravitch procedure for pectus excavatum repair: A meta-analysis. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 2010;45:880.
  13. Coelho MS, et al. Pectus excavatum surgery: Sternochondroplasty versus Nuss procedure. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2009;88:1773.
DS01136 April 15, 2011

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