title: Repair of pectus excavatum using a substernal metal strut within a Marlex envelope.
abstract: In a retrospective review, 82 children aged 3 to 16 years who had repair of pectus excavatum from 1963 to 1987 were divided into three groups according to type of repair: those without a metal substernal strut, those with a metal substernal strut, and those with a metal substernal strut within a Marlex envelope. In group 1 (n = 50) there were five recurrences; in group 2 (n = 18) and group 3 (n = 14) there were no recurrences. There was migration of the substernal strut in eight patients in group 2 (44%) and three patients in group 3 (21%). There were minor wound infections in groups 1 and 2 only. There were no deaths. Results of this study suggest that the use of a substernal strut significantly reduced recurrence and that the addition of a Marlex envelope around the strut reduced migration of the strut with no associated complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Zwiren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration; D005660:Funnel Chest / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015607:Stents; D013249:Sternum; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013997:Time Factors