The new procedure known as the Nuss procedure relieves the physical and psychological pains associated with sunken chest, in a less invasive manner than most treatments.

"From a cosmetic standpoint, [the Nuss procedure] offers the advantage of not having that big scar," Nick Fiore, M.D., a pediatrician at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, Nev. "From an operative standpoint, it is a shorter procedure, there is less blood loss associated with it and ultimately, the recovery time and return to normal activity is faster."

When one's chest and ribs grow abnormally in a concave shape it can cause numerous health problems. The cardiac and respiratory function can become impaired, the heart can be displaced and rotated, base lung capacity can be constrained and chest and back pain may be felt.

With the Nuss procedure, doctors insert one or more concave steel bars into the chest, underneath the sternum. The bar is flipped to a convex position to push outward on the sternum, correcting the deformity.

The bar usually stays in the body for about two years, although many surgeons are now moving toward leaving them in for up to five years. When the bones have solidified into place, the bar is removed through outpatient surgery.

Pain usually subsides after several days -- not months of recovery like other techniques.

For More Information :

Ashlee Seymour
Director of Media Relations
Sunrise Children's Hospital
ashlee.seymour@hcahealthcare.com
(702) 731-8288