Pectus excavatum is a condition in which the breastbone (sternum) of the chest is caved in. This happens because several ribs and the breastbone grow abnormally. Pectus excavatum may be mild or severe. Severe pectus excavatum may cause problems with the heart and lungs.
The Nuss procedure is a surgery to correct severe pectus excavatum. It's considered "minimally invasive" because only a few small incisions (cuts) are needed.
The Nuss procedure has several steps:
The chest reshapes after about 2–4 years. Then the surgeon removes the bars.
Even though the Nuss procedure is minimally invasive, your child will need pain medicine and rest after the surgery. He or she will need to stay home from school for about 3 weeks. It may take 6 months or more for your child to return to all activities he or she did before the surgery.
For about 6 weeks after the surgery, your child should:
Your child should not play sports that could cause a chest injury (such as football, soccer, and baseball) until the surgeon says it's OK.
Check with your surgeon if you have any questions about what activities are safe for your child.
There are risks with any surgery, including bleeding, infection, and problems with anesthesia.
Specific risks for the Nuss procedure include:
Call the doctor if your child has:
Children with pectus carinatum or pectus excavatum can feel self-conscious about the way they look. The Nuss procedure can improve the way the chest looks and help a child's self-esteem. Although the recovery time can be difficult, most kids are happy with the results.
Reviewed by: Cynthia Reyes-Ferral, MD
Date Reviewed: Nov 11, 2017