Non-surgical treatments for Pectus Carinatum
The conservative treatment with compressive systems must be tried as it stops the growth of the protrusion and may flatten the deffect. In recent years, there is on the market a Dynamic Compression System (DCS) that quantifies the pressure that must be applied, so it constitutes a more objective and individualized treatment for each patient. The use of this method is progressively growing in diversehospitals, giving good results that are conttrasted in a wide range of patients. Therefore, the number of surgical interventions in these malformations has decreased considerably. This method is applicable on symmetric and asymmetric pectus, with the exception of the Currarino-Silverman variety or high condromanubrial forms, in which it is not possible to put the compression system.
Recently we have started to work with this system, which is well-tolerated by the patients and which offers very good preliminary results.
For the collocation of these systems there must be always the collaboration of the child, and they must be brought at least for one year in order to obtain results.
The condromanubrial forms do not tolerate these treatments.
The request of surgery by these patients is high as the physical effect does not allow them to carry out an ordinary life as regards the relationship with their surroundings. They are socially inhibited people that do not want to show their defect publicly, so they always stay torso-covered at the beach, in pools and gyms.
This malformation usually becomes very ostensible during the preadolsecence. It is within this period that the surgery is more demanded, normally by the patient him/herself.
As regards girls, the surgical planning must always bear in mind the mammary growth, the possibility of mammary hypoplasia and the need to recur to the collocation of prosthesis for a better aesthetic result.
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