Why do children have a deformity of the chest

Under the deformation of the chest, it should be understood that the chest changed its shape because of congenital or acquired causes and this causes a negative reaction to the internal organs in the chest cavity related to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

This breaks the protective function of the chest and its help in the role of the frame.

External manifestations in the form of cosmetic defects often cause psychological trauma - the child begins to shy away from friends and becomes withdrawn.

Classification

disease According to the statistical study of congenital deformation suffersonly 2% of all births. Deformity of the chest in children is:

1. Breast of the shoemaker ( funnel-shaped deformation of the chest) - occurs due to the incomplete development of the costal cartilage. In newborns, it is almost invisible( visible with deep inspiration), but the disease progresses and the growing ribs tighten the sternum bone inside, which causes squeezing and displacement of the heart and large vessels. It is clearly visible in 2-3 years. Against the background of the presence of a funnel in the chest at 8-10 cm, there are curvatures in the spine and abnormalities in the circulation. In boys this pathology is found in 3 times more. There are three degrees: the first - the depth of the funnel is 2 cm;the second - the depth of the funnel is 2-4 cm, the heart is displaced up to 3 cm;the third one is more than 4 cm deep, the heart displacement is more than 3 cm.
2. Chicken or keel deformity of - on the contrary, arises from the strong growth of 5-7 rib cartilages - the sternum begins to protrude forward like a bird's keel. In the future, this deviation of serious violations in the work of internal organs does not bring, but patients often complain of rapid fatigue and dyspnea. Cosmetic defect is pronounced.
3. If the chest oblateness is seen in the anteroposterior direction, this is the flat chest .It causes backwardness in physical development and frequent colds.
4. Breast ridge is the rarest of these pathologies, it is complete or partial. As the child's life, the cleft increases in size. The main danger lies in the lack of protection of the heart and large vessels - they are located directly under the skin. There is a constant risk of injury to internal organs, patients often lag behind in physical development. In this type of pathology, only surgical intervention is effective.

Deformations of the chest acquired in the processes of life are diverse and depend on the causes that cause them. Most often occur because of emphysema( swelling) of the lungs:

1. The chest takes the form of a barrel , the ribs take a horizontal orientation, the intercostal spaces increase, an extension occurs in the anteroposterior direction. This is the emphysema of the chest.
2. Paralytic - is caused by chronic diseases of the pleura and lungs, into which the fibrous tissue grows, which is why
   

   occurs. In the photo, the funnel-shaped deformation of the chest

   reduces the volume of the lungs. The size of the chest decreases, the intercostal spaces widen. The blades strongly protrude and asynchronously move when breathing.

3. Scaphoid - occurs with spinal cord disease( syringomyelia), cavities are formed in it and disturbances occur in sensitivity and motor functions. With this pathology, a scaphoidal depression is formed in the upper and middle parts of the sternum.
4. With tuberculosis of the spine, rheumatoid arthritis due to strong curvature of the spine arises kyphoscoliotic chest .This pathology is difficult to treat and causes serious disturbances in the heart and lungs.

The reasons for the deformity of the chest can be such as bad genetics and alcohol, illness, stress carried by the expectant mother at 6-10 weeks of pregnancy, as during this period there is a formation of the thorax.

Symptoms of pathology

Congenital deformities become most visible at the age of 3 years. The sternum is symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Diagnostic procedures

In addition to external examination, X-ray of lungs, echocardiography, electrocardiogram and computed tomography are used to determine the degree of displacement and to determine changes in the work of internal organs.

Treatment for deformities

The construction of the curative plan depends entirely on the type of the disease and the degree of its severity.

In rare cases, conservative therapy is effective.

Apply massages, exercise therapy, gymnastics and swimming pool.

Funnel-shaped changes

If the child has a funnel-like deformation of the chest, then the so-called "vacuum bell" is used in the first stage of the treatment of the disease, in which a negative pressure zone forms above the funnel, which causes the funnel to suck in the opposite direction.

But this has a positive effect only if the patient has enough ducts of the sternum. In other cases, surgical intervention is used - sternochondroplasty according to the Nass method.

It is carried out at the age of 6-7 years. A patient for 3-4 years is introduced through two incisions on his chest a pair of metal plates that straighten the sternum and force it to grow properly. After they are removed, and the thorax continues to keep the right shape.

Grain deformation

For kyle deformation, special corsets are used in the early stages.

At a later age, surgery is performed because of cosmetic defects or due to abnormalities of the internal organs.

Flat chest

The flat chest is treated conservatively.

Apply swimming in the pool, medical and respiratory gymnastics.

This allows to increase the muscle correction of the shape of the chest and the function of breathing the lungs.

But the visible defect remains and can serve as a constant stress factor in a patient who will consider himself physically inferior.

Breast cleft

If the operation is performed for up to 1 year, the sternum is partially excised and cross-stitched along the midline, which allows the child's bones to re-grow properly.

At a later age, it is necessary to perform a more complex operation, in which apart from the excision of the sternum, rib space autotransplants produce an expansion of the chest space. A titanium plate is inserted behind the sternum.

Complications of

Basically, these are various postoperative problems:

• hemothorax - accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity;
• suppuration of skin wound;
• pneumothorax-accumulation of gases in the pleural cavity;
• subcutaneous hematomas;
• postoperative pneumonia;
• pleurisy - inflammation of the pleura;
• postoperative sepsis is possible;
• intestinal paresis;
• various inflammatory processes of the heart.

Prevention of

In order for your child to have a low risk of having chest problems, you need to closely monitor his or her health.

Do not allow chronic course of illness associated with the respiratory system. Avoid the risk of mechanical injury and burns of the chest.

Once the child has gone to school, he needs to be involved in feasible physical labor, to instill in him the love of sport.

Physical exercises are aimed at strengthening the spine and must necessarily include pull-ups, training of the lower and upper press.

These activities will constantly keep the muscle corset in a tone and help to avoid the curvature of the chest.

Video: Funnel-shaped deformation of the chest

The video shows a patient whose funnel-shaped deformation of the chest, as well as a complete cure for the pathology by surgical intervention.