To Örebro University

OBJECTIVES: Pectus excavatum (PE) can cause both physical and psychosocial symptoms and affect patients' health-related quality of life. Previous international studies have shown that the Nuss procedure increases both self-esteem and body image. The aim of the study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life in patients who have undergone the Nuss procedure for PE.

METHODS: The study had a cross-sectional multicentre design. All patients (N = 420) who underwent the Nuss procedure for PE in 3 cardiothoracic departments in Sweden from 2000 to 2019 were invited to answer the RAND-36 and Nuss Questionnaire modified for adults. Genders were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Patients were divided into groups based on age at time of surgery (<20, 20-30 or >30 years) and analysed by the Kruskal-Wallis H-test with post-hoc analyses.

RESULTS: A total of 236 patients returned the questionnaires; 82.2% were males. Men scored significantly better on the modified Nuss Questionnaire total (P = 0.01) and psychosocial (P = 0.02) subscales. Patients who had surgery at <20 years of age had significantly better scores on the same scales (P = 0.007 and 0.006, respectively) compared to patients aged 20-30 years at the time of surgery. However, no significant difference was seen in comparison with patients >30 years. Patients who had their bar removed had significantly better values on both scales.

CONCLUSIONS: Male gender, young age at surgery and bar removal seem to be associated with better health-related quality of life after the Nuss procedure for PE.

Objectives: Pectus excavatum, or funnel chest, causes both physical and psychosocial issues, affecting health-related quality of life. However, the literature on how funnel chest affects daily living prior to corrective surgery is sparse. Therefore, the study aimed to describe the experiences of living with funnel chest prior to correctional surgery.

Materials and methods: The study had a qualitative exploratory design. Consecutive sampling was applied in which all individuals from a single cardiothoracic department scheduled for the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum were asked to participate. Nineteen participants, 17 men and two women, participated in the study. Individual telephone interviews were conducted from February 2020 until April 2021. The interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis using an inductive approach.

Results: The overall theme "To have or not to have a cavity in my chest, it could make a difference" was interpreted as the latent meaning of the participants' experiences. The theme included two subthemes with three categories each. The subtheme "The funnel chest puts a weight on my shoulders" describes the heavy burden the funnel chest places on the participants. The second subtheme, "This is me, but I want to change my future", describes that participants see the funnel chest as a part of themselves; nevertheless, they look forward to surgery and a life without it.

Conclusion: The results emphasize the heavy burden funnel chest causes and the great limitations it places on the individual. It also highlights the importance of surgery and the hope for a better future for individuals with funnel chest.