Center of Excellence for Pectus
The Center of Excellence for Pectus, established in 2005, is the premier center for the Nuss Procedure to treat Pectus Excavatum and evaluate all forms of Pectus. With over 1,400 successful Nuss Procedures completed, Dr. Barry LoSasso has been treating Pectus Excavatum and Pectus Carinatum for teens and adults since 1999. He trained with Dr. Donald Nuss, the founder of the Nuss Procedure.
The Center of Excellence for Pectus is also one of the only centers to perform chest wall reconstruction on children and adults ages 10-55 years old.
Centers of Excellence designations are defined as a team, facility, or organization that provides leadership, best practices, research and training for a focus area. This means that an organization that qualifies as a Center of Excellence, doesn’t just deliver quality care; they do truly exceptional work — setting the bar for everyone else in their industry. We are very proud of this distinguished designation and the work we do in the field of Pectus!
Dr. Barry LoSasso
Dr. Barry LoSasso was born in New York City and received his undergraduate degree from Yale University. He attended Medical School at the University of Florida and completed his Fellowship in Pediatric Surgery at Babies Hospital, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.
Dr. LoSasso is a Board-Certified Adult and Pediatric General Surgeon who has directed nationally recognized Centers of Excellence for the treatment of chest wall deformities since 1999 in California, and in Bergen County since 2016. Dr. LoSasso has performed over 1,400 minimally invasive Nuss Procedures to correct Pectus Excavatum (sunken chest syndrome) in both adolescents and adults (10-55 years old).
Dr. LoSasso trained with Dr. Donald Nuss, the creator of the Nuss Procedure, at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter in Norfolk, Virginia before developing his own successful Nuss Program.
Dr. LoSasso has continued to be recognized by his peers for his contributions to improving the care and outcome for patients requiring surgery. Dr. LoSasso performs the Nuss Procedure at the award-winning Valley Hospital, while providing general surgical care for infants and children at Hackensack University Medical Center, Englewood Hospital Medical Center, Holy Name Medical Center and St. Joseph’s University Medical Center.
Facts about Pectus
The best age to get the Nuss Procedure is between 13 – 16 years old when the chest’s cartilage and bones are still malleable and easier to manipulate and bend into the correct shape. However, Dr. LoSasso has successfully completed many Nuss Procedures in patients as old as 53 years old.
Most patients with Pectus Excavatum experience chest pain/discomfort, shortness of breath, and fatigue. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should definitely seek a consultation with Dr. LoSasso to see if your pectus is having an effect on your health.
The Haller Index is a measurement used in order to determine the severity of your Pectus deformity. For an individual without pectus, their Haller index is 2.0-2.5. To meet criteria for surgical intervention, should you choose to do anything, a Haller Index of 3.2-3.25 is required. The higher the Haller Index the more severe the depression in your chest and the closer it is to your spine. Dr. LoSasso has successfully treated Haller Indexes of over 20. When you consult with Dr. LoSasso he will order imaging to measure your Haller Index in order to determine the severity of your Pectus.
Every patient manages pain differently. We have an excellent pain management team at Valley Hospital that will monitor pain closely following the surgery. Multiple pain management modalities, both within the operating room and post operatively, will be utilized to ensure patients have a successful and uneventful recovery. Most patients feel very little pain following the surgery and are quite comfortable throughout their stay at the hospital.
“Dr. LoSasso and his team were excellent! From scheduling, to financial, to the actual surgery. We came from out of state to correct my son's Pectus and they were very accomodating with getting things done quickly so we could be home in time for Christmas. The surgery went smoothly and we have not encountered any issues. Dr. LoSasso and Allison were very thorough and took the time to answer all our questions.
Thank you for everything!”
NICOLE COLLINS