Pectus Disorders

This is described as abnormal development of cartilage and bone tissue in the rib cage. There are two main types of deformity, called shoemaker's chest (concave collapse, pectus excavatum) and pigeon chest (outward protrusion, pectus carinatum).



 

Shoemaker's chest and pigeon chest

It is estimated that there are around 200-250 thousand patients with such problems in the rib cage in Turkey. Shoemaker's chest is seen more frequently in men by 1:3 and pigeon's chest by 1:6.
 

The problem grows with age

The person avoids sharing the problem because of its psychological effects. The individual may not swim, wear tight shirts and abstain from going to a doctor. There are many patients who don't even realize that they have such a problem. They do not go to the doctor because it does not affect their lives physically. However, the deformity may become more pronounced with age. Surgical treatment with closed method (minimally invasive procedure) has become the standard method.