Some information to file under the "good to know" category.
The suction bell is a device that uses negative pressure (15% below atmospheric) to pull the sternum out and into a more natural position. The principle involves repetitive intermittent use until the deformity is corrected.
In a paper by F. Haecker, the author describes a wide range of applications times, but recommends twice daily application for 30 minutes at a minimum. After the device is positioned over the deformity, the patient uses a hand pump to apply negative pressure, which instantaneously pulls the sternum up. The duration of use is limited by pain and the development of a transient subcutaneous hematoma in most of the patients.
Long term results are not available, but over a short period of use, patients experience "dramatic" results. In the aforementioned paper, the author reports a sternal elevation of 1.5 cm in 70% of patients within a 3 month period. Again, patient dedication and level of commitment being a major determinant of outcome. Additionally, the author suggest that the best results tend to occur in patients with milder forms of symmetric pectus excavatum.
Needless to say, this sounds like a very promising non-operative option, though the jury is still out on what is the optimal application protocol is as well as long term results and durability of the correction
The suction bell is a device that uses negative pressure (15% below atmospheric) to pull the sternum out and into a more natural position. The principle involves repetitive intermittent use until the deformity is corrected.
In a paper by F. Haecker, the author describes a wide range of applications times, but recommends twice daily application for 30 minutes at a minimum. After the device is positioned over the deformity, the patient uses a hand pump to apply negative pressure, which instantaneously pulls the sternum up. The duration of use is limited by pain and the development of a transient subcutaneous hematoma in most of the patients.
Long term results are not available, but over a short period of use, patients experience "dramatic" results. In the aforementioned paper, the author reports a sternal elevation of 1.5 cm in 70% of patients within a 3 month period. Again, patient dedication and level of commitment being a major determinant of outcome. Additionally, the author suggest that the best results tend to occur in patients with milder forms of symmetric pectus excavatum.
Needless to say, this sounds like a very promising non-operative option, though the jury is still out on what is the optimal application protocol is as well as long term results and durability of the correction
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