Quantification of Chest Wall Changes After Nuss Bar Removal Utilizing Three-dimensional Optical Surface Scans

Pectus excavatum is the most common anterior chest wall deformity that affects up to 1:400 of newborns. If an operative correction is indicated, patients are often operated via the Ravitsch or Nuss bar procedure. The latter (i.e. the Nuss bar procedure) is the most commonly performed procedure. During this procedure one or more metal bars are inserted behind the sternum to push the sternum back into its normal position. These bars remain in situ for two-to-three years before being removed. Despite the fact that the Nuss bar procedure is regarded as an effective procedure, retraction may occur after removal. A recent study has investigated this phenomenon, utilizing three-dimensional (3D) optical surface scans acquired before and after Nuss bar removal. The authors found statistically significant changes to occur in chest wall dimensions directly after, as well as between 2 and 8 weeks after Nuss bar explantation, in comparison to the situation just prior to bar removal. They, moreover, found the time the bar was in situ to be predictive for retraction. However, the authors also stressed that further studies are needed to reinforce their preliminary findings and perform long-term assessments. Subsequently, a similar study with long-term assessments will be conducted.