The Institute of Chest Wall Surgery
Surgery for A 28-year-old Male Patient with Severe Barrel Chest
Medical History
The patient is a 28-year-old male who has had a protruding anterior chest wall since childhood. Initially, his heavier stature as a child masked the deformity and caused no discomfort, so the patient did not seek any treatment. However, the deformity became more pronounced after entering puberty leading to significant feelings of inferiority. As a result, the patient is eager to undergo surgical treatment to correct the chest wall deformity.
Preoperative Examination
The patient’s entire chest wall is severely protruded, presenting a barrel-shaped appearance with a chest circumference of 102.5 cm. The patient was diagnosed with barrel chest.
Surgical Overview
An incision approximately 3 cm long was made on each side of the patient’s chest wall. The Wenlin procedure was then performed using three bars. The operation lasted about 1 hour. After the surgery, the patient’s chest wall basically returned to normal.
