garoupilled_
DMs open for custom looksmaxing protocols/coaching
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As a few of you know, I've gotten the Nuss bar procedure for pectus excavatum exactly 2 months ago
This thread will serve to give a few updates and insights from my experience since then and I hope it helps out people who are interested or looking into getting Pectus fixed as well
● What is pectus excavatum?
Pectus is a structural deformity of the anterior thoracic wall in which the sternum and rib cage grow abnormally, leading to an indentation of the chest (in the sternum area) which appears as if the chest has been "excavated" (hence the name).
The severity of pectus varies greatly. Mild cases may cause little to no symptoms, while severe cases can potentially interfere with the function of the heart and lungs due to the chest's pressure on the organs. Although in most cases it will be mainly cosmetic.
The exact cause of pectus excavatum is unknown, but it appears to be mostly genetic since it often runs in families.
● Treatment
As of now, there are 4 main ways to treat pectus excavatum:
Nuss Bar Procedure: Involves making small incisions on either side of the chest and passing a curved metal bar (the Nuss bar) through the chest cavity, beneath the sternum. The bar is then flipped to a position where it pushes the sternum outward, correcting the indentation. The bar typically stays in place for about 2-3 years, giving the chest time to remodel, before it is removed in a separate procedure (this is the one I got).
Ravitch Procedure: Involves making an incision across the chest, removing the abnormally curved costal cartilages, and placing a temporary support bar. The sternum may also be fractured to allow it to be positioned correctly. The chest is then allowed to heal and remodel in the correct position over time.
Vacuum Bell Treatment: This is a non-surgical treatment that uses a vacuum device to create a suction effect over the chest wall. The vacuum bell is applied regularly over a long period of time (often several hours a day for several years) with the aim of gradually lifting the sternum and reshaping the chest wall. Recommended mostly in mild cases only.
Silicone Implants: Involves placing a silicone implant under the skin of the chest to correct the appearance of the indentation. Does not correct any underlying structural issues with the chest wall, but it can improve the cosmetic appearance of the chest.
● My experience
First 3 days: insane pain, every breath I took hurt, 0 movement capability, couldn't get out of the hospital bed and stand straight, slept and stood laid down for the entire time, had to piss in a bedside jar and ate as little as possible because I didn't want to go to the bathroom to take a dump, legit wanted to die, taking morphine every 8 hours to soothe the pain.
Days 3-7: First time getting out of bed and being able to walk (super slowly), started going to the bathroom on my own and took a shower while sitting down on a plastic chair, arm movement is very limited and I couldn't get it above shoulder level.
Days 7-14: Discharged from the hospital on day 7, went home, sat at the desk most of the time, needed help to get into bed and lay down to sleep, still hurt to breathe a bit, could only sleep on my back.
Days 14-30: No longer hurts to breathe, arm movement was completely recovered around day 30, could grab stuff on the shelf, could carry lightweight objects around, started getting back to life pre-surgery.
Days 30-45: Around day 40 I could finally sleep on my side (read my sleepmaxxing megaguide btw), could carry heavier objects around, had no issue whatsoever in getting out and in bed, and started light jogging.
Days 45-60: Life seems to be similar to pre-surgery, could run and punch with no issues, back to weight lifting at the gym.
This thread will serve to give a few updates and insights from my experience since then and I hope it helps out people who are interested or looking into getting Pectus fixed as well
● What is pectus excavatum?
Pectus is a structural deformity of the anterior thoracic wall in which the sternum and rib cage grow abnormally, leading to an indentation of the chest (in the sternum area) which appears as if the chest has been "excavated" (hence the name).
The severity of pectus varies greatly. Mild cases may cause little to no symptoms, while severe cases can potentially interfere with the function of the heart and lungs due to the chest's pressure on the organs. Although in most cases it will be mainly cosmetic.
The exact cause of pectus excavatum is unknown, but it appears to be mostly genetic since it often runs in families.
● Treatment
As of now, there are 4 main ways to treat pectus excavatum:
Nuss Bar Procedure: Involves making small incisions on either side of the chest and passing a curved metal bar (the Nuss bar) through the chest cavity, beneath the sternum. The bar is then flipped to a position where it pushes the sternum outward, correcting the indentation. The bar typically stays in place for about 2-3 years, giving the chest time to remodel, before it is removed in a separate procedure (this is the one I got).
Ravitch Procedure: Involves making an incision across the chest, removing the abnormally curved costal cartilages, and placing a temporary support bar. The sternum may also be fractured to allow it to be positioned correctly. The chest is then allowed to heal and remodel in the correct position over time.
Vacuum Bell Treatment: This is a non-surgical treatment that uses a vacuum device to create a suction effect over the chest wall. The vacuum bell is applied regularly over a long period of time (often several hours a day for several years) with the aim of gradually lifting the sternum and reshaping the chest wall. Recommended mostly in mild cases only.
Silicone Implants: Involves placing a silicone implant under the skin of the chest to correct the appearance of the indentation. Does not correct any underlying structural issues with the chest wall, but it can improve the cosmetic appearance of the chest.
● My experience
First 3 days: insane pain, every breath I took hurt, 0 movement capability, couldn't get out of the hospital bed and stand straight, slept and stood laid down for the entire time, had to piss in a bedside jar and ate as little as possible because I didn't want to go to the bathroom to take a dump, legit wanted to die, taking morphine every 8 hours to soothe the pain.
Days 3-7: First time getting out of bed and being able to walk (super slowly), started going to the bathroom on my own and took a shower while sitting down on a plastic chair, arm movement is very limited and I couldn't get it above shoulder level.
Days 7-14: Discharged from the hospital on day 7, went home, sat at the desk most of the time, needed help to get into bed and lay down to sleep, still hurt to breathe a bit, could only sleep on my back.
Days 14-30: No longer hurts to breathe, arm movement was completely recovered around day 30, could grab stuff on the shelf, could carry lightweight objects around, started getting back to life pre-surgery.
Days 30-45: Around day 40 I could finally sleep on my side (read my sleepmaxxing megaguide btw), could carry heavier objects around, had no issue whatsoever in getting out and in bed, and started light jogging.
Days 45-60: Life seems to be similar to pre-surgery, could run and punch with no issues, back to weight lifting at the gym.
