What does a funnel chest indicate?

Pectus excavatum is a condition in which a person’s breastbone is sunken into his or her chest. Severe cases of pectus excavatum can eventually interfere with the function of the heart and lungs. Pectus excavatum is a condition in which a person’s breastbone is sunken into his or her chest.

Is funnel chest serious?

Pectus excavatum or funnel chest is a deformity that can cause a child’s ribs and breastbone to grow inward giving the chest wall a sunken appearance. In some cases the condition is merely cosmetic, in others it can lead to serious complications involving the heart and lungs.

Can you live a normal life with pectus excavatum?

Pectus excavatum (funnel chest) is when your child’s breastbone is pressed inwards and they have a dip between their ribs. The deformity may be symmetrical (the same on both sides) or may be more prominent on one side of the chest. Some children with funnel chest will live a normal life.

Does pectus excavatum go away?

Pectus excavatum can’t be cured fully through exercise. However, in some people with mild cases, practicing exercises can improve symptoms. Whilst the physical deformity of pectus excavatum can’t be fixed, exercise can improve posture and the degree to which the chest expands (source).

How common is pectus excavatum in babies?

Pectus excavatum is a condition in which, instead of being level with the ribs, the breastbone (sternum) is ‘sunken’ so that the middle of the chest looks ‘caved in’. Pectus excavatum affects about one in 1,000 children and is four times as common in boys as in girls.

Are you born with pectus excavatum?

Even though kids who have pectus excavatum are born with it, it might not be noticed in the first few years of life. Many cases are found in the early teenage years. Mild cases might be barely noticeable.

What does it mean when a child has a funnel chest?

Pectus Excavatum: Also called a “funnel chest,” kids with this condition have an indented or sunken sternum (center of the rib cage). It affects 1 out of every 500 children. Pectus Carinatum: Also called a “pigeon chest,” the sternum bulges out of the chest in children with this condition. It affects 1 out of every 1,500 children.

Which is more common pectus excavatum or funnel chest?

Also called funnel chest, pectus excavatum is more common in boys than in girls. Severe cases of pectus excavatum can eventually interfere with the function of the heart and lungs.

What do you call a child with a sunken chest?

Pectus Excavatum: Also called a “funnel chest,” kids with this condition have an indented or sunken sternum (center of the rib cage). It affects 1 out of every 500 children. Pectus Carinatum: Also called a “pigeon chest,” the sternum bulges out of the chest in children with this condition.

How long does it take to repair a funnel chest?

The procedure, performed under general anesthesia, takes about three hours and involves removing cartilage overgrowth from affected ribs at the connection point to the sternum, with a steel rod or strut placed across the chest to support the top of the sternum and then wired to surrounding ribs.