Pectus Implant: Results, Procedure, and Cost
What is Pectus Bar Implant for and what is it made of?
There is a less invasive option if you are concerned about pectus excavatum but do not want to undergo significant cardiothoracic surgery. The Pectus Bar Implant comes in a variety of lengths ranging from 7 inches (17.8 cm) to 17 inches (43.2 cm) to accommodate Pectus Excavatum correction procedures and it is made of either stainless steel or titanium bars and stabilizers. Depending on a patient’s allergy test results, a surgeon will select which composition of Nuss bars is safest for each patient.
Pectus Excavatum Implant Surgery: What can you expect?
Costs:
The cost will vary, like with any operation, based on the facility where you have the treatment done and the surgeon’s experience. Depending on the severity of your ailment, the price may also change. The costs do not include other supplementary tests outside the surgery. Every surgeon should be able to provide you with an estimate of costs based on the level of surgical needs.
Before surgery:
Before undergoing pectus surgery, most surgeons will recommend that you have a comprehensive evaluation to rule out any heart or lung issues and to determine if your symptoms are truly caused by pectus excavatum. Pectus excavatum can impair lung capacity and put a strain on the heart in some people, causing symptoms such as:
Exercise intolerance
Fatigue
Chest pain and discomfort
Heart palpitations
Shortness of breath
During Procedure:
This 2 to 4-hour surgery corrects the shape of the chest by using a curved metal bar that is placed under the breastbone. With the help of a small camera, the surgeon will create a pathway across the chest under the breastbone and insert a Pectus Support Bar Implant. The bar is shaped to fit the patient and lifts the chest into a normal shape. As the bar pushes the breastbone forward, it bends the cartilage that holds the breastbone to the ribs, promoting that cartilage to conform to a new, normal shape.
Generally, the Nuss Procedure will follow these steps during surgery:
Two small incisions (usually 1.25-1.5 inches in length) are made to provide access under the sternum. The exact position of the incisions can vary depending on the surgeon’s technique.
A video camera used for surgery (called a thoracoscope) is inserted through a third small incision on one rib space below the others.
While using the camera to see inside the chest, a curved introducer instrument is used to create a pathway across the chest below the sternum.
A pectus implant metal bar shaped to fit the patient, called a Pectus Support Bar, is placed in the pathway under the sternum and then rotated to lift the chest and correct the deformity.
The video camera is removed and all incisions are closed at the end of the surgery.
After Surgery:
Following surgery, patients are transferred to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) for observation. It is here that the patient will wake from the anesthesia used during surgery. The PACU is staffed by specially trained medical professionals who monitor the condition of patients immediately following surgery. Patients are typically transferred to regular rooms within a few hours.
Typically most patients stay in the hospital for 3 to 5 days. Most patients recover from surgery and progressively increase their physical activities. You may be sore for the first few days following surgery but after approximately 3 weeks from surgery, patients will start physical therapy to get them back to their sport of choice.
After approximately 3 years, the Pectus Support Bar Implant is removed through the same 1.25-1.5 inch incision used to insert the bar.
Skillful Approach for Optimal Results
While more attention to detail may be required, a skilled doctor can review your options and help to diminish the appearance of pectus excavatum with pectus bar implants or other treatment methods that you want to try.
Dr. LoSasso, who studied under Dr. Nuss in the treatment of Pectus, has successfully performed over 1,200 successful Nuss procedure treatments for teens and adults. He is one of the few specialists that also treats Pectus in adults. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and get started.