Splint Designed t o b e u sed i n the “ Pre - and Post - Operative ” Correction of Pectus Excavatum with the Nuss Procedure , Pectus Press (PP)

Objective: Evaluation of effectiveness of the use of the Pectus Press (PP) on patients with Pectus Excavatum (PE) as initial and post-operative treatment of the Nuss procedure for the correction of posture, reduction of pain and prevention of bar displacement. Methods: Between August 2015 and December 2017, 159 patients, from 7 to 46 years (M=17), with PE were treated. On first visit patients received the orthotic equipment and oriented to follow a home exercise program and physical activities. Thirty-six (64.4%) underwent surgery during this period of time. We checked the correct size, position of the supports, the pressure of the shoulder straps on each visit every 30-60 days. The Valsalva maneuver with a “Pectus Whistle” after October-2016 was also recommended. Results: Better posture and more flexibility of the thorax were observed by patients and parents after the first three weeks including reduction of costal flaring in 73 (84%) that used the device for more than 12 hours a day including nighttime use. In the first 30 - 90 days of post-operative period, helped to reduce the pain and the possibility of bar bending, with the maintenance of a corrected posture. No bar displacement was observed in the operated group and less pain medication were prescribed. Conclusions: Treatment using orthosis and exercises for PE has been very well described (Haje Method)."Pectus Press" is a flexible low-profile orthosis and has shown to be a useful tool in the pre- and post-operative periods of the Nuss procedure. Adding exercise's + Pectus whistle's, it provides thoracic chest wall flexibility. In the post-operative period, less pain and no bar displacement were observed. The success of treatment was directly linked to the patient age, time and frequency of the use of the device.