Trechterborst: niet alleen een cosmetisch probleem

Pectus excavatum is the most common deformity of the anterior chest wall. Nevertheless, awareness amongst physicians is lacking and consequences of the diagnosis are often underestimated. Symptoms include cardiopulmonary symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue and exercise intolerance. Moreover, patients often have psychosocial problems and suffer from poor body image and lower quality of life. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended for diagnostic work-up and treatment, involving dedicated paediatricians, cardiologists and surgeons. Treatment can be non-surgical or surgical. Conservative options include physiotherapy and vacuum bell therapy. In symptomatic patients, surgical treatment is warranted from the age of 12-14 years. Minimally invasive repair with the Nuss bar technique is considered the gold standard for adolescents. Patients who are unsuitable for minimally invasive repair can be treated with open surgical correction, for example, via a modified Ravitch procedure. Early referral to a specialised centre is recommended.

Conflict of interest and financial support: potential conflicts of interest have been reported for this article. ICMJE forms provided by the authors are available online along with the full text of this article.