[Minimally invasive approach of Nuss for the correction of pectus excavatum].

Since December 1999 to November 2003, we treated 68 patients with pectus excavatum using the Nuss minimally invasive procedure. Their ages were between 6 and 24 years old, with a mean of 12 years. Average Haller index was 4.1. Lateral stabilisers were used in all the cases, in 28% of them, two stabilisers were used. Mean operative time was 70 minutes (range 40 to 120). A thoracic epidural catheter was used for postoperative analgesia in 87% of the cases, with a mean duration of 3 days. The most frequent early complication was residual pneumothorax, which resolved spontaneously in 24% of the cases. The average hospital stay was 5.7 days. 93% of patients had excellent, very good or good results, in 5% of the cases the results were fair, and 2% had poor results due to thoracic asimetry and/or sternal rotation. The Nuss minimally invasive procedure is a useful method for treatment of pectus excavatum's patients.