Patient's question:
I have a congenital funnel chest, where the costal cartilage and ribs curve inward like a funnel towards the spine. The sternum is also tilted to one side. From the 3rd to the 7th costal cartilage, they are inwardly and deformed. My classmates used to laugh at me, and I felt very.Doctor's answer:
Pectus excavatum is a condition where the sternum and ribs curve inward and backward, forming a boat-like or funnel-shaped chest. The deformity can compress the heart and lungs, causing most of the heart to shift to the left side of the chest. Children often exhibit a distinctive weak posture: an extended neck, rounded shoulders, and a potbelly. The deepest depression in the sternum occurs at the xiphoid process. It is a familial tendency or a congenital heart disease. The chest deformity caused by pectus excavatum is more severe. The heart and lungs are compressed to varying degrees, potentially even causing heart displacement, and lung ventilation function is also affected. Some patients may also experience arrhythmias and systolic murmurs. Pectus excavatum is sometimes associated with further progression of diseases such as underdeveloped lungs, Marfan syndrome, and asthma, but it also makes individuals more susceptible to serious conditions like respiratory infections.