Is it necessary to have surgery for pectus excavatum at the age of 26?

Whether a 26-year-old with pectus excavatum needs surgery depends on the severity of the condition, its impact on health, and the individual's psychological needs. Pectus excavatum is a chest deformity with a sunken sternum. Mild pectus excavatum may only affect the appearance, while severe pectus excavatum may be accompanied by impaired cardiopulmonary function. In this case, surgery is a necessary treatment.

1The dangers of pectus excavatum

Patients with mild pectus excavatum may only experience a sunken sternum, which has little impact on physical health. However, severe cases may cause chest compression, leading to heart displacement or decreased lung function. For example, dyspnea, fatigue, and some heartbeat abnormalities will worsen with age. Obvious abnormalities in the appearance of the chest may affect the patient's mental health. Emotional problems such as inferiority and anxiety are common in patients.

2Determine whether surgery is needed

Doctors usually judge whether surgery is needed based on the depth of the pectus excavatum, such as the Haller index (usually >3.2 is severe), and the symptoms. If dyspnea, recurrent chest tightness, decreased activity tolerance, or abnormal cardiopulmonary function tests have occurred, surgical intervention is the recommended treatment strategy. If it is only mild or moderate pectus excavatum and there is no obvious functional impairment, and surgery is considered only for appearance issues, it mainly depends on the patient's psychological needs.

3 Surgical treatment methods

There are many different surgical methods, the most common ones include:

Minimally invasive Nuss surgery: corrects the position of the sternum by implanting a stent. It is suitable for young patients, has little trauma and significant therapeutic effects.

Ravitch thoracotomy: Suitable for complex or severe deformities. The operation takes a long time, but the correction effect is long-lasting.

Endoscopically assisted correction: This approach combines traditional and minimally invasive techniques and is suitable for patients with uneven deformities.

4 Non-surgical treatment options

For mild pectus excavatum, surgery is not necessarily an option. The following methods can help improve or stabilize the condition:

Strengthen chest muscle exercises: such as swimming and push-ups, to strengthen chest muscle tension and improve the appearance of the chest cage.

Wearing orthotics: Some children or adults with mild symptoms can try to restore the shape of the chest through orthotics.

26 years old is still the golden age for the treatment of funnel chest, with a high success rate and quick recovery. If obvious symptoms occur, please seek medical attention in time to evaluate the condition and improve your health and quality of life through scientific means.