Pectus Excavatum

Overview

At Mayo Clinic, patients with pectus excavatum receive comprehensive care from a specialized medical team experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of this chest wall deformity. Mayo's adult and pediatric thoracic (chest) surgeons have extensive training and experience in performing complex pectus excavatum repair surgeries. Surgeons use advanced technology and minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat patients with pectus excavatum.

Pectus excavatum — before surgery

Mayo Clinic's thoracic surgery practice is one of the largest in the United States, performing thousands of surgical procedures each year. Surgeons work with a team of specialists from cardiology, pulmonary medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation to evaluate and treat patients with pectus excavatum.

Treatment

Pectus excavatum — after surgery

Mayo Clinic offers a minimally invasive surgical approach (the Nuss procedure) to treat pectus excavatum. Whether patients undergo the less invasive surgery or traditional open chest surgery depends on the severity of the deformity and the patient's age. Read more about pectus excavatum treatment.

• Treatment in Arizona
• Treatment in Florida
• Treatment in Minnesota
• Treatment of Children & Adolescents

About Pectus Excavatum

Pectus excavatum, a type of chest wall deformity, is a birth defect that causes the chest to look sunken. It occurs in approximately one in 1,000 children, predominantly in males. The defect is caused by the abnormal growth of the connective tissue that joins the ribs and the breastbone (sternum) during the fetal development stage in pregnancy. The condition usually worsens with age. Severe cases of pectus excavatum can impair heart and lung function and are usually treated with pectus repair surgery.