Highlights
- •We propose a novel index for determining the cephalocaudal extent of sunken sternum in pectus excavatum.
- •This determination allows preoperative planning of the precise number of implants required.
- •A threshold of 66.5% is sensible and sensitive for the need for more than 3 implants for complete thoracic remodeling.
Summary
Background/Purpose
Quantification of the severity of pectus excavatum deformities is currently performed
using the Haller index (HI) and the Correction index (CI), amongst others. However,
most indexes characterize the severity at the point of maximum excavation. We present
a new index, the Titanic index (TI), aimed at the appraisal of the cephalocaudal extent
of the excavation and its potential clinical use.
Materials and methods
Retrospective analysis of a cohort of patients who underwent a minimally invasive
repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) between July 2020 and April 2022 at a single center.
We defined TI as the percentage of the sternum that lied behind the anterior costal
line observed in the CT. Demographics, HI, CI, and TI calculated based on computed
tomography images (CT) were analyzed. Also, we compared the severity indexes of two
groups of patients divided by the number of implants introduced per patient (group
A: two implants, and group B: more than two).
Results
Seventy-eight patients (92% male) were included, with a mean age of 17.2 ± 4.8 years.
The mean TI was 37%. Albeit weak, we identified significant correlations between the
TI and the HI and, more closely, to the CI. Two implants were introduced in 37 (47%)
patients, and more than two in 41 (53%) patients. Compared to patients with two implants,
the group of patients who received more than two implants were older and showed worse
thoracic indexes. Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, we identified
the TI as a better predictor of the need for more than two implants than HI and CI.
In this regard, a TI larger than 66.5% had a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity
of 92%.
Conclusion
We propose a novel index for the categorization of the severity of pectus excavatum.
This index might be useful in planning the number of implants required for complete
thoracic remodeling during MIRPE.
Level of evidence
Level III.
Type of study
Retrospective Comparative Study.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 22, 2022
Accepted:
December 12,
2022
Received:
November 29,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
