clinical features

Last reviewed 09/2021

The features of pectus excavatum vary widely:

• features may be very mild and barely noticeable deformity to one in which there may be severe cardiac and respiratory insufficiency
• a sharp posterior concavity in the body of the sternum usually deepest just above the xiphoid process and extending to the sternomanubrial junction
• the sternum may be depressed close to the vertebral column
• heart often displaced to the left
• extent of cardiac depression is visible on CT scan