The Simple repair corrects the appearance of the pectus excavatum deformity by placing a custom silicone implant into the cavity, over the sternum bone, under the skin and soft tissues. It does NOT change the shape of the rib cage, and it does NOT require cutting into the ribs and sternum (like the Ravitch procedure) or inserting metal bars into the chest (like the Nuss procedure).
Good candidates for SIMPLE Pectus Repair
- You would like to improve the appearance of the chest
- You are grown up
- You are Healthy – no major medical problems
Advantages of the SIMPLE Pectus Repair
- Minimally invasive procedure
- Long track record in medical literature
- No hospitalization needed
- Minimal pain, compared with Nuss and Ravitch techniques
- One step treatment, unlike the Nuss technique
Unacceptable candidates
- Children and early teens – we have to wait till the chest is grown to make the personalized silicone implant.
- Pectus excavatum patients with heart problems from cardiac compression
- Pectus excavatum patients with breathing abnormalities from lung pressure
- Patients with conditions that raise risk of surgery (obesity, poor nutrition, uncontrolled diabetes, disorders of healing)
Disadvantages of the SIMPLE Pectus Repair
- Will NOT change the internal chest cage, so it does not help the small (5-10%) of pectus excavatum patients who truly have medical problems as a result of their congenital condition.
- Uses medical grade silicone, which is FDA approved, but can in a small percentage of patients need to be removed if complications such as infection arise.
What about the Haller index for pectus excavatum?
The Haller index for Pectus Excavatum is a useful way for doctors to describe the severity of a patient’s pectus deformity. It does NOT necessarily translate to heart or lung problems. In face, according to some medical reports, more than 90% of people born with pectus excavatum, have no problems with their heart or lungs, regardless of how severe their pectus deformity may appear.