title: Pectus excavatum in relief from Ancient Egypt (dating back to circa 2400 BC).
abstract: Pectus excavatum is one of the most common congenital deformities of the chest wall. The aim of the study was to analyse 621 artefacts (reliefs, sculptures, paintings) from Ancient Egypt in terms of anatomical defects of the chest. The team which analysed artefacts consisted of historians of medicine and thoracic surgeons. The researchers found a relief, depicting a man with an abnormal shape of the chest. The relief was from Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep mastaba and dates back to circa 2400 BC. The authors think it is possible that the relief may represent a pectus excavatum deformity and believe the image will open up debate on the occurrence of this deformity in ancient times.
authors.affiliation: Teaching Department of Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Rehabilitation, Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland radius425@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bialas
authors.affiliation: Teaching Department of Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Rehabilitation, Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaczmarski
authors.affiliation: Teaching Department of Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Rehabilitation, Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kozak
authors.affiliation: Department of the History of Medicine, Pharmacy and Military Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Bogumila
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kempinska-Miroslawska
mesh_terms: D000076144:Egypt, Ancient; D004741:Engraving and Engravings / Q000266:history*; D005660:Funnel Chest / Q000266:history* / Q000473:pathology*; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008512:Medicine in the Arts
keywords: Ancient Egypt; Funnel chest; Pectus excavatum; Thoracic wall deformities