Patient's question:
During the inguinal hernia surgery at the hospital, the attending physician at the time advised that my child had pectus excavatum and recommended surgery after the age of 3. Now, my child is 2 weeks and 3 months old, and the diameter of the small depression in the chest is about 2-3 centimeters. The chest movement is particularly noticeable when sleeping, and the abdomen is larger than that of most children.Doctor's answer:
Children over the age of two who show significant symptoms or signs may optionally undergo surgical correction. However, most scholars believe that the optimal age for surgical correction is between 3 and 12 years old. This is because the deformity is more localized in this age group, the thoracic stress leading to scoliosis has not yet developed, making surgical shaping easier and the outcomes more effective. With advancements in technology, surgeries have become increasingly minimally invasive, and the indications for surgery have gradually broadened. Patients not only undergo minimally invasive surgical treatment to improve respiratory and cardiac function and prevent other deformities of the spine and thoracic cage but also to address some psychological issues and aesthetic needs caused by the.