ORTHOPEDIC APPROACH TO PECTUS DEFORMITIES: 32 YEARS OF STUDIES

STERNUM TOMOGRAPHIC EVALUATION IN PECTUS PATIENTS: ANALYSIS OF SAGITAL PARAMETERS

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the sagittal tomographic reformatting of the sternum using unpublished radiographic parameters (indexes and angles), comparing them between the different types of pectus, and controls.

METHODS

44 patients with pectus deformities and controls underwent chest CT for analysis. The types of pectus were classified into: inferior pectus carinatum (IPC), superior (SPC) and lateral (LPC), and broad (BPE) and localized pectus excavatum (LPE). The following tomographic parameters were created and measured: (1) spine-manubrium-sternum index (SMS); (2) column-sternum index (CSI); (3) manubrium-sternal angle (MSA); (4) inferior manubrium angle (IMA); and (5) inferior sternum angle (ISA). Statistical analysis was performed between the pectus and control groups, and between the different types of pectus.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between: a) pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum when analyzing the SMS, CSI, MSA and ISA indexes. b) LPE and control group for SMS and ISA. c) LPC and LPE, and LPC and BPE for SMS; d) BPE and LPC for CSI; e) IPC and LPE, and IPC and BPE for ISA; f) SPC and LPE, and SPC and BPE for IMA.

CONCLUSION

The radiographic indexes and angles created provided differentiation parameters between patients with different types of pectus, and between these and controls. Level of Evidence II, Prognostic Studies.

Clinical significance of concomitant pectus deformity and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: systematic review with best evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

A misbalance in forces is proposed for causing adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). AIS is therefore correlated to adjacent musculoskeletal pathologies. Its concomitance with idiopathic pectus deformities (PD) is underexposed. This systematic review analyzes the clinical significance and predictive factors of PD-associated AIS.

METHODS

A search was performed in PubMed, UpToDate, Embase, and Cochrane. A study was included if it: assessed the association between PD and scoliosis (category I), reported a prevalence of scoliosis in PD patients (category II), or addressed other topics about PD-associated AIS (category III). Studies in category I discussing predictive factors were appraised using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. Because of heterogeneity among the studies, predictive factors were analyzed according to a best evidence synthesis. A mean prevalence of scoliosis in PD patients was calculated using category I and II. Category III was narratively reviewed.

RESULTS

Forty-eight studies were included (I:19, II:21, III:8). Category I comprised 512 patients with PD-concomitant scoliosis. Thirteen studies reported predictive factors, of which 15 concerned the prevalence of scoliosis in PD patients and 12 Cobb Angle (CA) change after PD correction. Compared with AIS, PD seems to develop earlier in adolescence, and PD with concomitant AIS was more frequently reported in older patients. Evidence remained conflicting regarding the association between the severity of PD and that of scoliosis. As opposed to at a younger age, late PD correction is not associated with a postoperative increase of CA. Limited evidence showed that patients with a high CA undergoing PD correction do not experience an increase in CA, though, strong evidence indicated that it would not lead to a decrease in CA. The mean probable prevalence of AIS in PD patients was 13.1%.

CONCLUSION

Current literature confirms the association between PD and AIS in patients with an indication for PD correction.Level of evidence: III.

LOCALIZED PECTUS EXCAVATUM TREATED WITH BRACE AND EXERCISE: LONG TERM RESULTS OF A BRAZILIAN TECHNIQUE

Objective:

Pectus excavatum is a deformity that affects aesthetics and causes emotional disorders. Surgical correction is well established, but conservative treatment is less common. We investigated the long-term results of using a brace and performing specific physical exercises to treat localized pectus excavatum, a type of deformity in which the depressed area is restricted to the midline region along the nipple line.

Methods:

We selected 115 patients (mean age 12.8 years), with a minimum follow-up of 36 months, who were evaluated more than one year after the end of treatment and skeletal maturity. Results were correlated with deformity flexibility, severity, regular use of the device, and performance of specific exercises. The chi-square (χ²) and the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results:

Treatment was successful in 58% of patients, however, when exercises were performed and the brace was used regularly by patients with flexible deformities, the rate increased to 83% (p = 0.005). Severity and adherence to treatment greatly impacted successful treatment (p = 0.009 and < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion:

The proposed treatment method was effective for correction or partial correction of the deformity in motivated patients followed up until skeletal maturity, especially when started early in milder and more flexible deformities. Level of Evidence V, Expert opinion.

Surgical interventions for treating pectus excavatum

BACKGROUND

Pectus excavatum is characterized by a depression of the anterior chest wall (sternum and lower costal cartilages) and is the most frequently occurring chest wall deformity. The prevalence ranges from 6.28 to 12 cases per 1000 around the world. Generally pectus excavatum is present at birth or is identified after a few weeks or months; however, sometimes it becomes evident only at puberty. The consequence of the condition on a individual's life is variable, some live a normal life and others have physical and psychological symptoms such as: precordial pain after exercises; impairments of pulmonary and cardiac function; shyness and social isolation. For many years, sub-perichondrial resection of the costal cartilages, with or without transverse cuneiform osteotomy of the sternum and placement of a substernal support, called conventional surgery, was the most accepted option for surgical repair of these patients. From 1997 a new surgical repair called, minimally invasive surgery, became available. This less invasive surgical option consists of the retrosternal placement of a curved metal bar, without resections of the costal cartilages or sternum osteotomy, and is performed by videothoracoscopy. However, many aspects that relate to the benefits and harms of both techniques have not been defined.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the conventional surgery compared with minimally invasive surgery for treating people with pectus excavatum.

SEARCH METHODS

With the aim of increasing the sensitivity of the search strategy we used only terms related to the individual's condition (pectus excavatum); terms related to the interventions, outcomes and types of studies were not included. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Embase, LILACS, and ICTPR. Additionally we searched yet reference lists of articles and conference proceedings. All searches were done without language restriction.Date of the most recent searches: 14 January 2014.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We considered randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that compared traditional surgery with minimally invasive surgery for treating pectus excavatum.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed the eligibility of the trials identified and agreed trial eligibility after a consensus meeting. The authors also assessed the risk of bias of the eligible trials.

MAIN RESULTS

Initially we located 4111 trials from the electronic searches and two further trials from other resources. All trials were added into reference management software and the duplicates were excluded, leaving 2517 studies. The titles and abstracts of these 2517 studies were independently analyzed by two authors and finally eight trials were selected for full text analysis, after which they were all excluded, as they did not fulfil the inclusion criteria.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is no evidence from randomized controlled trials to conclude what is the best surgical option to treat people with pectus excavatum.