Surgical versus Vacuum Bell Therapy for the Correction of Pectus Excavatum: A Comparison of 1-Year Treatment Outcomes

• Published in: Journal of chest surgery 2021, Vol.54 (6), p.473-479
• Main Authors: Jung, Younggi, Yi, Eunjue, Lee, Kwanghyoung, Chung, Jae Ho, Cho, Seonghyun, Lee, Sungho
• Format: Article
• Language: Korean
• ISSN: 2765-1606; 2765-1614

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare 1-year clinical outcomes between patients who underwent a Nuss operation or vacuum bell therapy and to present vacuum bell therapy as a possible alternative treatment modality for patients who prefer non-surgical correction of pectus excavatum. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of pectus excavatum patients who had undergone vacuum bell therapy for more than 1 year and examined patients who had undergone Nuss bar removal more than 1 year previously. The treatment outcomes were evaluated by comparing changes in the Haller index before and after treatment in both patient groups. Results: We included 57 patients in this study and divided them into 2 groups according to the type of treatment received. Both groups showed no significant difference in the post-treatment Haller index after 1 year of follow-up, although the Nuss operation group showed a greater change in the Haller index than the vacuum bell group. Conclusion: Although the Nuss operation is a well-established and effective treatment of choice to correct pectus excavatum, vacuum bell therapy showed comparable outcomes and could become an alternative treatment modality for select patients who prefer non-invasive treatment.