Pediatric Chest Bone Disorders

Pediatric chest bone disorders occur when an abnormal growth of cartilage and bone develops in the anterior chest wall. Pediatric chest bone disorders occur in children in two specific types: Funnel Chest, also referred to as pectus excavatum, and Pigeon Breast, also termed as pectus carinatum.

Causes

• According to the Children's Hospital Boston, the cause of pediatric chest bone disorders is unclear. Both types of disorders do recur in families, leading doctors to believe that genetics may play a role in the development of the deformities.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of funnel chest pediatric chest bone disorders in infants may include a hollow depression in the chest that is either assymetric, deep and narrow or broad and shallow, frequent lingering or chronic colds that develop into pneumonia and difficulty breathing. Older children with funnel chest pediatric chest bone disorders may show symptoms of chest pain, breathing difficulty triggered by exertion or exercise, frequent respiratory infections and an absence of the curve in the upper back, a broad, thin chest, hooked shoulders and a lateral curvature of the spine. Symptoms of pigeon breast pediatric chest bone disorders include intermittent pain and tenderness in the region of overgrown cartilage with difficulties exercising and/or playing.

Diagnosis

• Your pediatrician can diagnose pediatric chest bone disorders by observing your child while she inhales, exhales and rests. Your pediatrician may also calculate the depth of the chest from front to back using x-ray films. Shorter than average measurements distinguish funnel chest, while longer than average measurements distinguish pigeon breast deformities. Your child's heart may be examined to determine if it has been widened and displaced to the left due to the deformity. Your pediatrician may also perform lung capacity test to test for mismatched lung sizes.

Treatment

• Moderate to severe cases of funnel chest bone deformities may be treated with surgery between the ages of 5 to 10, but never before at least 2 years of age. Optimal surgery results are achieved when corrective procedures are performed before adolescence. The Children's Boston Hospital states that there is a 90 to 95% treatment success rate in children who undergo surgery for funnel chest bone deformities. Surgery for moderate to severe cases of pigeon breast may also be necessary to restore normal chest contour. The outlook for children undergoing surgery for pigeon breast is excellent, with optimal correction results.

Considerations

• The Children's Hospital Boston states that an average of one out of every 300 children have funnel chest with pigeon breast being as common as one-third of all cases of funnel chest. Pigeon chest is more common in boys, with at least three out of four cases occurring in boys.