The Nuss Procedure

During your child’s first visit, we will talk about their health history, perform a physical exam and take pictures of their chest shape. We can almost always diagnose their condition without doing X-rays or other imaging. Depending on your child’s condition, we may run tests on their heart and lungs. If they have pain or trouble breathing when they’re playing or exercising, we can take measurements while they’re on a treadmill to understand how their chest wall affects them when they’re active. If you and your child choose the Nuss procedure, we will test your child for metal allergies and give them a simple exercise plan to follow. Good posture, muscle support and flexibility will help your child’s recovery. 

What to expect during and after the Nuss Procedure?

The surgery is performed under general anesthesia. We will also use a technique called cryoablation to freeze some of the nerves in their chest area, to reduce pain while they recover. The frozen nerves grow back and regain function within two to three months. The period after surgery is very important for making sure your child’s chest properly sets into its new shape. They’ll have to restrict their activity and movements for six to eight weeks. This includes sleeping on their backs, avoiding rough play and sports, and being careful not to slouch, twist their torsos or raise their elbows above shoulder height. We take extra steps - like using special surgical techniques and medications - to keep pain to a minimum. Children may feel some pain and soreness but may need pain medication for only a few days after their surgery. Your child will have follow-up clinic visits to ensure proper healing and to answer any questions. The chest wall is most likely to hold its new shape after the bar has provided support for at least three years. After three years, we will look at your child’s progress and make a plan for removing the bar.