[Pulmonary function test in patients with pectus excavatum before and after Nuss procedure].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the pulmonary function in patients with pectus excavatum before and after Nuss procedure and stratified according to age.


METHODS
A total of 45 patients treated at our hospital from March 2007 to January 2008 were recruited retrospectively. Pulmonary function was assessed 3 days before and 3 months after surgery. Non-thoracoscopy-aided Nuss procedure was performed for correction. The data were analyzed and stratified according to age (< 12 years and ≥ 12 years).


RESULTS
The post-operative value of VC (vital capacity, 74% ± 17%) significantly decreased compared to its pre-operative value (89% ± 25%). RV (residual volume) and TLC (total lung capacity) also significantly decreased (135% vs 139%, 93% vs 96%) while RV/TLC was elevated (157% vs 148%) (all P < 0.05). When stratified according to age, post-operative TLC value decreased in older group and no significance was noted in younger group. As to the indices of ventilation function, post-operative MVV (maximal voluntary ventilation), PEF (peak expiratory flow), MMEF (maximal mid-expiratory flow), V(75), V(50), and V(25) improved, FVC (forced vital capacity) decreased (all P < 0.05) while FEV(1) (forced expired volume in one second) and BR (bronchial responsiveness) had no significant change. When stratified according to age, the post-operative values of PEF, MMEF, V(50), V(25) improved in younger group in contrast to those in older group. No significant post-operative change of FEV(1) was noted in younger group while a significant decrease was found in older group. No significant change of MVV was noted in younger group and significant post-operative improvement was present in the older group.


CONCLUSIONS
In general, the Nuss procedure brings no significant improvement of pulmonary function in short-term follow-up. Most of the indices pertaining to lung capacity decrease whereas most of those pertaining to ventilation function increase. A decrease of lung capacity is significantly lower in younger patients than in elders. And the improvement of ventilation function is better in younger patients than in elders.
Xu
Bing
B
Department of Pediatric Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Liu
Wen-ying
WY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005660:Funnel Chest / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult