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Pectus Excavatum
Aka: Pectus Excavatum, Funnel Breast, Trichterbrust
- Epidemiology
- Incidence: 0.5 to 2%
- Gender predominance: Boys (3:1 ratio)
- Causes
- Rickets
- Scurvy
- Marfan's Syndrome
- Occupationally acquired
- Example: Cobbler's Chest (shoe pressed against chest)
- Associated Conditions
- Scoliosis
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Severe childhood Asthma
- Pathophysiology
- Deformed lower costal cartilages
- Results in retraction of chest wall toward spine
- Inferior Sternum
- Xiphoid process
- Signs
- Opposite of Pectus Carinatum
- Mild: Oval pit near infrasternal notch
- Severe: Sinking of entire lower Sternum
- Complications
- Restrictive lung disease in severe cases
- References
- Degowin (1987) Bedside Exam, Macmillan, p. 274
- Murray and Nadel (2000) Respiratory Medicine, p. 2364-6