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Pectus CarinatumAka: Pectus Carinatus, Pigeon Breast

Epidemiology
1. Much less common than Pectus Excavatum
2. More common in males by ratio of 4:1
Causes and associated conditions
1. Family History in 30% of cases
2. Rickets
3. Marfan's Syndrome
4. Congenital Heart Disease
5. Scoliosis (asymmetric thorax)
6. Poland's Syndrome
Pathophysiology
1. Softened upper ribs bend forwards
2. Progresses as child grows
Signs
1. Opposite of Pectus Excavatum
2. Narrow thorax with increased anteroposterior diameter
3. Sternum protrudes from chest like keel of ship
Complications
1. Significant cosmetic concerns
References
1. Degowin (1987) Bedside Exam, Macmillan, p. 274
2. Townsend (2001) Sabiston Surgery, p. 1169-70

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 8/14/2009. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.