Silicone implant correction of pectus excavatum.

Between May 1989 and December 2000 in 24 adult patients with pectus excavatum, a subcutaneous implantation of silicone prostheses was performed. Of the 24 patients, 20 were followed. During follow-up the authors encountered seroma complications in 13 patients and postoperative hematoma in 4 patients. The patients stayed in the hospital 5 days on average, and showed excellent aesthetic results in 80% (N = 16), good results in 10% (N = 2), and fair results in 10% (N = 2). Patient satisfaction was also taken into consideration. A follow-up survey questioned whether patients were satisfied with the cosmetic outcome. On a scale of 1 to 5 points, with 1 point being the highest level of satisfaction, 85% of patients used ratings of 1 and 2 to express satisfaction levels. Silicone implant correction of pectus excavatum in adult patients without any impairment of cardiopulmonary function has value. The major advantages are the minimally invasive operation, the short hospital stay, good aesthetic results, and high patient satisfaction