A Miniature Access Approach to Pectus Excavatum

References 345 1. INTRODUCTION Pectus excavatum (PE), also known as funnel chest or trichterbrust, is by far the most common disorder of chest wall formation. Approximately 90% of patients with chest wall disorders have PEA the incidence is 1 in 300 live births (1). Pectus carinatum (PC), the next most common chest wall disorder, is seen in only 7% of patients with chest wall deformities. A great deal of controversy exists as to the indications, timing, and method of repair of PE. Recently, Nuss et al. (2) have introduced a novel and mini- mally invasive method of repair. Their technique has intrigued pediatric surgeons and provoked further discussion amongst the pediatric surgical community as to the optimal method of repair. This chapter reviews the available literature regarding the efficacy and safety of this miniature access approach compared to more conventional open repairs, that is, the Ravitch technique.