Abstract： Objective To study thoracic bone remodeling and clinical effects after minimally invasive correctionfor pectus excavatum （PE） in children. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of a prospectively gathereddatabase of 74 child patients who underwent minimally invasive repair of PE at General Hospital of Beijing MilitaryDistrict between Apr. 2009 and Sept. 2010. Of the patients, 63 were males and 11 females; the age was（ 11.90±8.50）years, 11 patients ＜ 10-year-old among them. Under general anesthesia, two incisions were made at the side midaxillaryline, and the introducer created a tunnel at the trans-substernum and shaped the thoracic cavity. The bar was then insertedinto the retrosternum by video-assistant thoracoscopic monitoring. All patients were checked by chest computerizedtomography（CT） scan preoperatively and one week after operation, with three-dimensional reconstruction. The sagittalview was by means of the center line of the body of thoracic vertebrae. The distance between the sternum and the frontaledge of the body of thoracic vertebrae was measured and the return of displacement of the heart was observed. ResultsAll 74 operations were successful; there were no deaths. One bar was used for 66 patients （89.19%）, while two barswere used for the other 8 patients （10.81%）. Comparing the results of pre- with post-correction, for patients youngerthan 10 years（n=11） who had one bar placed, the inferior extremity of the manubrium and midsternum displacedforward to 3.76-22.92 mm. For 11-17 year-old patients（n=55） , anterior displacement of only the middle and lowerpart of the midsternum was 2.08-10.42 mm. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the inferiorextremity of the midsternum displaced（t=14.24, P ＜ 0.05）. For those patients with two bars, the inferior extremity ofthe manubrium and the midsternum were each displaced forward 4.19-15.03 mm at 7 d after operation. At 7 d after operation,the cardiac position in 65 patients（ 87.84%） of the all putted back by CT image. The chest shape of patients who received twobars was better than that of patients who received one bar. After 6-23 months of follow-up, it was pre-operative symptomsdisappeared in the patients, chest shape was satiation. Cardiac position in all patients was completely recovered. ConclusionThe thoracic bones of children with PE after minimally invasive repair have favorable remodeling. Older children requiregreater strength of support of the sternum during correction, but still realize a satisfactory therapeutic effect.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of anterior chest wall depression on the cardiac function and the effectiveness of minimally invasive surgery for pectus excavatum by comparing cardiac function and morphology between pre- and post-operation. MethodsBetween August 2009 and December 2010, 102 adult patients with pectus excavatum were treated with minimally invasive surgery, including the primary operation in 95 cases and the reoperation in 7 cases. There were 84 males and 18 females, aged 18-57 years (mean, 23.4 years). The haller index (HI) was 4.59 ± 1.51. Of 102 patients, 59 were classified as pectus excavatum type I and 43 as type II; 42 had clinical symptoms and 19 had the physical sign of heart. The preoperative chest CT examination showed cardiac compression in all patients and heart displacement in 74 patients. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 68.9% ± 6.2%. ResultsThe procedure was successful in all patients, and no death or serious complication occurred. The patients were followed up 12-28 months (mean, 21 months). The clinical symptoms and cardiac physical sign of the patients disappeared after operation. HI was 2.70 ± 0.33 at 12 months after operation, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative HI (t=5.83, P=0.00). According to Nuss’s evaluation method, the results were excellent in 99 patients and good in 3 patients. CT examination showed complete relief of cardiac compression in 101 patients and mild cardiac compression in 1 patient; the heart position was normal at 12 months after operation. Electrocardiogram returned to normal in 4 patients having abnormal electrocardiogram. LVEF was 70.5% ± 4.8% after operation, showing no significant difference when compared with preoperative LVEF (t=1.08, P=0.30). ConclusionThe main effects of pectus excavatum in adults on heart are compression and displacement. Cardiac compression may be relieved efficiently and the patient’s clinical symptoms can be abated by minimally invasive surgery.
ObjectiveTo study the effect of deep sternal wound infections（DSWIs）treated by the techniques of pectoral major muscular(PM) turnover and non-suture remain after the wound restitution.MethodWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 23 patients with DSWIs in our hospital between June 2016 and December 2016. There were 13 males and 10 females at age of 4-73(54.5±19.5) years. There were 8 patients with concomitant diabetes mellitus and 1 patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and brain infarction. Eigteen patients were of type Ⅱ, 5 patients of type Ⅲ according to Pairolero’ classification in the DSWIs. Five patients were with remaining abscess cavity in the mediastinum by thoracic compute tomography(CT). Under general anesthesia the DSWIs debrided thoroughly. The PM elevated from the anterior pectoralis major fascia off subcutaneous tissue to lateral to anterior axillary line, the PM cutted off, then made to the muscle flap, turnover PM flap filled and fixed to sternal wound by lighten tensile suture, the subcutaneous tissue and skin sutured by cutting full-thickness.ResultsThe sternal reconstruction after debridement of the sternal wound was used by bilateral PM flap in the 17 patients, unilateral PM in 6 patients. There were 21(91.3%) patients in stage Ⅰ healing, 2 patients deferment healing of local cut skin without reoperation. There were 22 patients with non-paradoxical breathing during the postoperation. One death resulted from multiple-organ failure of the concomitant disease. The average of hospital day was 10.6 days. The wound healing was good by chest CT at 1 month after the operation.ConclusionThe sternal forming by the technique of the PM flap turnover, without remain of fremde stoffe in wound for DSWIs is distinctive method, evident effect.
ObjectiveTo investigate the changes and clinical significance of cardiac structure and function evaluation by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) for patients with pectus excavatum deformity at preoperation. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 54 patients (24 children and 30 adults) who underwent pectus excavatum surgery from June 2012 to June 2014. There were 48 males and 6 females at age of 7-33 (19.08±5.17) years. All the patients underwent CMR using 1.5 Tesla scanner for evaluation of compressing and displacement of the heart. The major and minor dimensions of right ventricle were measured. The right ventricle end-diastole volume (RVEDV), right ventricle end-systolic volume (RVESV), and right ventricle ejection fraction (RVEF) were also recorded and analyzed. ResultsThe heart compression and displacement occurred in 83.3% of the children group and 90.0% of the adults group. The extent of heart displacement in the adults was more serious than that in the children (76.86%±13.30% vs. 67.99%±8.15%, P<0.05). The structure of right ventricle were striking distorted because right atrum or right ventricule below valve ring was compressed locally, with the major dimension of right ventricle obviously increased, and the minor dimension of right ventricle obviously decreased. The indices of right ventricle major dimension and right ventricle minor dimension were 61.14±0.44 mm/m2 and 14.82±2.52 mm/m2 in the children, 49.54±15.40 mm/m2 and 18.90 ±3.14 mm/m2 in the adults. The RVEDV and RVESV were significantly higher in the adults than those in the children (139.09±29.08 ml vs. 121.50±31.27 ml; 73.61±16.05 ml vs. 64.92±19.28 ml; P<0.05). RVEF was similar between the children and the adults (45.29%±4.14% vs. 46.30±6.09%). The patients' symptoms disappeared after correction of pectus excavatum. ConclusionCMR is an useful method for evaluating right ventricular structure and functions in patients with cardiac compression and distortion by pectus excavatum before operation, which can bring strong indications for pectus excavatum repair surgery.