A Multidisciplinary Assessment of Standard Low Dose Versus Ultra-low Dose Chest CT Scans for Pectus Excavatum Imaging.

Aim: Evaluation of ultra-low dose chest CT imaging for the assessment of pectus excavatum severity as determined by pediatric radiologists and pediatric surgeons using Haller (HI) and Correction indices (CI).

Methods: A single institution, prospective evaluation of patients being evaluated for pectus excavatum were scanned with a standard low-dose chest CT protocol (CARE) followed by a consecutive ultra-low dose CT scan (ULTRA). 3 surgeons and 4 radiologists were instructed to determine HI and CI in each series.

Vacuum Bell Therapy for Pectus Excavatum: Long-term Experience at a Single Center.

Aim: To evaluate factors associated with excellent correction in pectus excavatum patients undergoing vacuum bell therapy (VBT).

Methods: A single-institution retrospective chart review was performed November 2012-April 2023 to assess corrections of patients who underwent VBT. Patient demographics, presentation, and results were collected.

The past, present and future of ACS NSQIP-Pediatric: Evolution from a quality registry to a comparative quality performance platform.

Quality and process improvement (QI/PI) in children's surgical care require reliable data across the care continuum. Since 2012, the American College of Surgeons' (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric (NSQIP-Pediatric) has supported QI/PI by providing participating hospitals with risk-adjusted, comparative data regarding postoperative outcomes for multiple surgical specialties. To advance this goal over the past decade, iterative changes have been introduced to case inclusion and data collection, analysis and reporting.

Procedure-Level Misutilization of Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Pediatric Surgery: Implications for Improved Stewardship and More Effective Infection Prevention.

Background: The objective of this study was to quantify prophylaxis misutilization to identify high-priority procedures for improved stewardship and SSI prevention.

Methods: This was a multicenter analysis including 90 hospitals participating in the NSQIP-Pediatric Antibiotic Prophylaxis Collaborative from 6/2019 to 6/2020. Prophylaxis data were collected from all hospitals and misutilization measures were developed from consensus guidelines.

Correlation Between Postoperative Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Use and Surgical Site Infection in Children Undergoing Nonemergent Surgery.

Importance: Use of postoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis is common in pediatric surgery despite consensus guidelines recommending discontinuation following incision closure. The association between postoperative prophylaxis use and surgical site infection (SSI) in children undergoing surgical procedures remains poorly characterized.

Objective: To evaluate whether use of postoperative surgical prophylaxis is correlated with SSI rates in children undergoing nonemergent surgery.

Incidence and Relative Burden of Surgical Site Infections in Children Undergoing Nonemergent Surgery: Implications for Performance Benchmarking and Prioritization of Prevention Efforts.

Objective: To establish surgical site infection (SSI) performance benchmarks in pediatric surgery and to develop a prioritization framework for SSI prevention based on procedure-level SSI burden.

Background: Contemporary epidemiology of SSI rates and event burden in elective pediatric surgery remain poorly characterized.

Methods: Multicenter analysis using sampled SSI data from 90 hospitals participating in NSQIP-Pediatric and procedural volume data from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database.

Selective use of sternal elevation before substernal dissection in more than 2000 Nuss repairs at a single institution.

Background/purpose: Evaluate the safety of sternal elevation (SE) used selectively before creating the substernal tunnel during the Nuss procedure.

Methods: An IRB-approved (01-05-EX-0175-HOSP), single institution, retrospective review was performed (1/1/1997-11/20/2017). Primary and secondary Nuss repairs (i.

Recent Modifications of the Nuss Procedure: The Pursuit of Safety During the Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum.

Objective: To review standardized Nuss correction of pectus excavatum and vacuum bell treatment over the last 10 years.

Summary Of Background Data: In 2010, we reported 21 years of the Nuss procedure in 1215 patients.

Methods: Over the last 10 years, 2008-2018, we evaluated 1885 pectus excavatum patients.

Complications associated with the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum.

The minimally invasive pectus excavatum repair (Nuss repair) is performed by pediatric general surgeons and pediatric and adult thoracic surgeons around the world. Complications related to pediatric surgical procedures are always a major concern for surgeons and their patients, and as with all surgery, especially pectus surgery, complications can be life-threatening. The purpose of this article is to discuss early and late complications of pectus excavatum surgery and potential preventive strategies to minimize them.

Bleeding at Removal of Nuss Bar: Rare But Sometimes Significant.

Background: Hemorrhage during Nuss bar removal is an uncommon but feared complication that can be life threatening if not controlled rapidly. This study aims to identify the incidence and sources of large volume hemorrhage, discuss successful management strategies, and provide patient care recommendations.

Methods: An IRB approved (#15-11-WC-0214), single institution retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent Nuss bar removal over a 15-year interval.

Risk factors and management of Nuss bar infections in 1717 patients over 25 years.

Purpose: An increase in postoperative infections after Nuss procedures led us to seek risks and review management. We report potential risk factors and make inferences for prevention of infections.

Methods: An IRB-approved retrospective chart review was used to evaluate demographic, clinical, surgical, and postoperative variables of patients operated on between 10/1/2005 and 6/30/2013.

High rates of metal allergy amongst Nuss procedure patients dictate broader pre-operative testing.

Purpose: A previous study from our group estimated that as few as 2.2% of pectus excavatum patients suffered from allergy to the implanted metal bar. We sought to assess recent changes in incidence of metal allergy and identify the benefit of metal allergy testing prior to surgery.

Multicenter study of pectus excavatum, final report: complications, static/exercise pulmonary function, and anatomic outcomes.

Background: A multicenter study of pectus excavatum was described previously. This report presents our final results.

Study Design: Patients treated surgically at 11 centers were followed prospectively.

Chest wall deformities in pediatric surgery.

Chest wall deformities can be divided into 2 main categories, congenital and acquired. Congenital chest wall deformities may present any time between birth and early adolescence. Acquired chest wall deformities typically follow prior chest surgery or a posterolateral diaphragmatic hernia repair (Bochdalek).

The effects of irrigation on outcomes in cases of perforated appendicitis in children.

Introduction: Appendicitis is the most common indication for urgent abdominal operation in children. Approximately 20%-30% of patients will have a perforation at operation. Intra-abdominal abscess after appendectomy is reported in 3%-20% of patients and adds significantly to hospital stay with increased morbidity and overall cost.

Optoelectronic plethysmography demonstrates abrogation of regional chest wall motion dysfunction in patients with pectus excavatum after Nuss repair.

Purpose: We previously demonstrated that patients with pectus excavatum (PE) have significantly decreased chest wall motion at the pectus defect compared with the rest of the chest vs unaffected individuals and use abdominal respiratory contributions to compensate for decreased upper chest wall motion. We hypothesize that PE repair will reverse chest wall motion dysfunction.

Methods: A prospective, institutional review board-approved study compared patients with PE before and after Nuss repair.

One hundred patients with recurrent pectus excavatum repaired via the minimally invasive Nuss technique--effective in most regardless of initial operative approach.

Purpose: Controversy exists as to the best operative approach to use in patients with failed pectus excavatum (PE) repair. We examined our institutional experience with redo minimally invasive PE repair along with the unique issues related to each technique.

Methods: We conducted an institutional review board-approved review of a prospectively gathered database of all patients who underwent minimally invasive repair of PE.

Regional chest wall motion dysfunction in patients with pectus excavatum demonstrated via optoelectronic plethysmography.

Background: Paradoxical chest wall motion is recognized clinically in pectus excavatum (PE). We report chest wall volume and motion differences between PE patients and unaffected individuals.

Methods: A prospective, institutional review board-approved study compared nonoperated PE patients with normal controls (C).

Increasing severity of pectus excavatum is associated with reduced pulmonary function.

Objective: To determine whether pulmonary function decreases as a function of severity of pectus excavatum, and whether reduced function is restrictive or obstructive in nature in a large multicenter study.

Study Design: We evaluated preoperative spirometry data in 310 patients and lung volumes in 218 patients aged 6 to 21 years at 11 North American centers. We modeled the impact of the severity of deformity (based on the Haller index) on pulmonary function.

A design for simulating and validating the nuss procedure for the minimally invasive correction of pectus excavatum.

Surgical planners are used to achieve the optimal outcome for a surgery, especially in procedures where a positive aesthetic outcome is the primary goal, such as the Nuss procedure which is a minimally invasive surgery for correcting pectus excavatum (PE)--a congenital chest wall deformity. Although this procedure is routinely performed, the outcome depends mostly on the correct placement of the bar. It would be beneficial if a surgeon had a chance to practice and review possible strategies for placement of the corrective bar and the associated appearance of the chest.

Twenty-one years of experience with minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum by the Nuss procedure in 1215 patients.

Objective: To review the technical improvements and changes in management that have occurred over 21 years, which have made the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum safer and more successful.

Summary Background Data: In 1997, we reported our 10-year experience with a new minimally invasive technique for surgical correction of pectus excavatum in 42 children. Since then, we have treated an additional 1173 patients, and in this report, we summarize the technical modifications which have made the repair safer and more successful.

Minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum in patients with Marfan syndrome and marfanoid features.

Purpose: The presence of a pectus excavatum (PE) requiring surgical repair is a major skeletal feature of Marfan syndrome. Marfanoid patients have phenotypic findings but do not meet all diagnostic criteria. We sought to examine the clinical and management differences between Marfan syndrome patients and those who are marfanoid compared with all other patients undergoing minimally invasive PE repair.

Surgical repair of pectus excavatum markedly improves body image and perceived ability for physical activity: multicenter study.

Objective: This study evaluated changes in both physical and psychosocial quality of life reported by the parent and child after surgical repair of pectus excavatum.

Methods: As part of a multicenter study of pectus excavatum, a previously validated tool called the Pectus Excavatum Evaluation Questionnaire was administered by the research coordinator, via telephone, to parents and patients (8-21 years of age) before and 1 year after surgery. Eleven North American children's hospitals participated.

Prospective multicenter study of surgical correction of pectus excavatum: design, perioperative complications, pain, and baseline pulmonary function facilitated by internet-based data collection.

Background: Given widespread adoption of the Nuss procedure, prospective multicenter study of management of pectus excavatum by both the open and Nuss procedures was thought desirable. Although surgical repair has been performed for more than 50 years, there are no prospective multicenter studies of its management.

Study Design: This observational study followed pectus excavatum patients treated surgically at 11 centers in North America, according to the method of choice of the patient and surgeon.