A: Most patients with Pectus Excavatum experience chest pain/discomfort, shortness of breath, and fatigue. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should seek a consultation from Dr. LoSasso to see if surgery is necessary.

A: The best age to get the Nuss Procedure is around 13 – 16 years old when the chest’s cartilage and bones are still malleable and easier to manipulate and bend into the correct shape. Dr. LoSasso has completed many very successful Nuss Procedures in patients as old as 51 years old. Though it is best to get the surgery when you are younger, it is still possible to have excellent results even as an adult.

A: Most younger patients only need 1 bar to correct the chest wall. However, in some older patients where the cartilage and bones have calcified and are more rigid and strong, the use of a secondary bar is often required. There is usually no additional pain, and the same incision is used to insert both bars.

A: Patients are usually kept in the hospital for around 3-4 days post-operation depending upon patient pain level and family comfortability

A: Every patient manages pain differently. We have an excellent pain management team at Valley Hospital that will monitor your pain closely following the surgery. There are also various pain management modalities utilized throughout a patient’s care which consist of intercostal blocks and multi-modal therapy. Most patients feel very little pain following the surgery and are quite comfortable throughout their stay at the hospital. Once discharged from the hospital, there is close monitoring of each patient regarding pain management, and the specific medications and dosing are individualized to achieve optimum pain control. Over the years, Dr. LoSasso, in conjunction with the pain service, has created a custom pain management regime specifically designed for the Nuss Procedure, which optimizes pain control.

A: The surgical steel bars will remain in your chest for a minimum of 3 years post-operation.

A: Patients are reintroduced to their sport of choice at 3 months post-operation. 6 months after the surgery, patients can go back to playing competitive level sports again. It is at this time that the bar is fully integrated into the chest and you can do everything that you did prior to the surgery.

A: Patients who have had the Nuss Procedure will still be able to receive CPR in the case of an emergency. More force will be required compared to a person without Nuss bars within their chest. Post-operation information is always provided to patients and families regarding medic alert jewelry for alerting emergency personnel.

A: Dr. LoSasso has successfully performed the Nuss Procedure on a number of women with breast implants. Implants require a high level of expertise to properly navigate the chest wall. Often collaboration is made with highly skilled plastic surgeons in order to avoid disrupting the implant(s).

A: Less than 5% of patients experience recurrence of the deformity after the bar is removed.

A: For the vast majority of Pectus Excavatum patients the condition does not affect one's life expectancy but it can greatly affect one’s quality of life. This can affect a patient’s ability to exercise efficiently, psychologically feel about their chest, and case a variety of symptoms of differing severities. All patients are also screened by genetic disorders such as, Marfan Syndrome or Marfan-like conditions, which can have life threatening consequences if unidentified.