Causes and risk factors
The exact cause of pectus excavatum is not known, however it is believed that the excessive growth of the connective tissue at the costochondral region leads to the abnormality. A strong familial history is also one of the contributing factors. Pectus excavatum can also be associated with certain medical conditions e.g.: Marfan syndrome, scoliosis.
Clinical presentation:
Most of the patients remain asymptomatic while few others can come up with complaints.A sunken chest can lead to complaints of cardiac and respiratory system. It leads to back pain; the patient suffers from difficulty in breathing and easy fatigue. These patients have a rapid heartbeat. It can also be a matter of worry from cosmetic point of view and can also cause certain psychological disturbances. On examination sunken appearance of the chest is seen. In such cases the placement of the heart is also altered.
Investigations:
Diagnosis is done on the basis of the symptoms narrated by the patient and the physical examination carried out by the doctor. The appearance of the chest itself is confirmatory. A chest X ray or CT scan of the chest helps in confirming the diagnosis. Certain other investigations can also be done for overall assessment of the health.
Treatment:
In asymptomatic patients no medical intervention is needed. Surgical intervention is carried at an early age helps to improve the breathing difficulty and functioning of the heart.
