The Institute of Chest Wall Surgery
Surgery for A Young Male with Severe Complex Chest Wall Deformities
Medical History
The patient is a young male who has suffered from a large and deep concave deformity in the anterior chest wall since childhood. The depression has become more severe since puberty, leading to pronounced breathing discomfort and impacting his daily life. Consequently, the patient was compelled to seek surgical treatment. However, his deformities were so severe that several hospitals were unable to provide treatment.
Preoperative Examination
There is a large depression in the anterior chest wall, with the deepest part near the xiphoid process, and the costal arch exhibits a pronounced protrusion. Additionally, the patient presents with scoliosis.
Surgical Overview
An incision was made near the xiphoid process to expose the bone structure behind the sternum. It was observed that the lower end of the sternum had fused with the spine, and the natural gap between them had disappeared. To prepare for the Wung procedure, the bone structure in the depressed area was pre-shaped to restore the space behind the sternum. Subsequently, two bars were inserted, and the Wung procedure was performed to eliminate the depression. Then, a third bar was placed, and the Wenlin procedure was performed to correct the protrusion at the costal arch. The surgery was successfully completed in 90 minutes, and the appearance of the patient’s chest wall was essentially restored to normal.
