A large number of institutions have reported their early results with minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum and open repair of pectus carinatum, but only few have addressed the outcomes relevant to the concerns of the patients and even fewer have reported long-term results following bar removal. Even fewer studies have investigated the prevalence and characteristics of long term persistent post-surgical pain following surgical repair of pectus deformities. The reasons as to why acute postoperative pain in some patients persists and becomes chronic whereas in others the pain dies down shortly after wound healing are largely unknown, and why some patients complain of loss of sensibility in wide regions of their chest following surgery also remains unclear.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
1,000
Minimally invasive surgical technique basically consisting of inserting one or more convex steel bars under the sternum through small bilateral incisions in the thoracic wall
Open surgical removal the affected cartilages bilaterally and the excess cartilage over the sternum
Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery
Aarhus, Denmark
Persistent post-surgical pain
Persistent post-surgical pain is in this study defined as pain developing after pectus surgery and lasting for at least 4 months. Other causes of pain (e.g. infection and malignancy) and pain continuing from a pre-existing pain problem will be excluded. Persistent post-surgical pain present at time of the study will be assessed by means of a specifically developed questionnaire including items from the Danish translation of the Brief Pain inventory (BPI-short form) and the Danish translation of the short version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ).
Time frame: At least 4 months following surgery
Health related quality of life
Health-related quality of life (HRQol) will be assessed by means of a validated Danish version of the Short-Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36)
Time frame: At least 4 months following surgery
Patient satisfaction
Satisfaction with the result of the deformity repair and the perceived impact of the correction on health-related quality of life is assessed by means of questions about the emotional and practical consequences of, and satisfaction with pectus repair.
Time frame: At least 4 months following surgery
Aesthetic outcome
In order to assess the surgical outcome following pectus repair in terms of aesthetic outcome more objectively, patients are encouraged to upload or e-mail a digital frontal image of their chests. Two thoracic surgeons, including the operating surgeon, and a research secretary are instructed to evaluate the breast symmetry, scars on the chest, and the overall cosmetic result of the repair.
Time frame: At least 4 months following surgery
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.