When your child lives with a chest wall condition, you want to ensure their health and confidence in their body. The UW Health Kids chest wall clinic team takes time to create the best treatment plan for your child.
Our doctors, surgeons, nurse practitioners, nurses and physical therapists work together. We give your child the physical therapy and emotional support they need. If your child needs surgery, we explain what happens before, during and after the procedure.
Our therapists work closely with your child to build strength and ensure the best recovery after surgery.
The UW Health Kids chest wall clinic evaluates and treats abnormally shaped chest walls.
Pectus carinatum
Pectus carinatum is a common pediatric problem where the rib cartilage has grown too much. This causes the breastbone (sternum) and rib cartilage to protrude (stick out). It is also known as pigeon chest. Some children have social and physical concerns about the look of the chest wall. Often, they may not remove their shirt, swim or take part in other activities.
Pectus carinatum is four times more common in boys than girls. The cause is unknown; however, it might be genetic, as it tends to run in families.
Pectus excavatum
Pectus excavatum is the most common
problem of the chest in children. It is also
known as “sunken chest” or “funnel chest”
because it can look like a sunken area of
the sternum (breastbone). It can be so
deep the sternum nearly touches the
spine. Abnormal growth of the rib cartilage
causes the breastbone to be pushed
inward. This sunken area in the breastbone
may be even, or it may be more inward
on one side than the other. As
with pectus carinatum, some children and their parents report that they have
major social and physical concerns about the look of the chest wall. Often, they will not remove their shirt, swim or take part in other activities.
For some children, pectus excavatum is found when they are babies. In others, it is not seen until a rapid growth spurt happens, usually during puberty. The cause is unknown; however, it tends to run in families.
Twenty-five percent of patients report a family history of chest wall abnormality.
Nonsurgical and surgical treatments
Our surgeons and rehabilitation specialists create an individualized care plan for your child. Treatments include:
Bracing, to push the chest wall into a normal position
Pediatric rehabilitation
Physical therapy to build upper-body strength and improve posture
Corrective surgery
The surgeon will offer you the option of a pain control technique used during the surgery called cryoanalgesia. This technique temporarily freezes the nerves along the rib cage in front of the chest, causing them to feel numb. The nerves will stay numb for about 6 to 12 weeks. This helps kids recover from surgery faster and with much less pain. Because of the improved pain control form cryoanalgesia, most patients requires less pain medicine after surgery.
UW Health Kids
Our pediatric experts have served the special needs of children for more than 100 years. We focus on each child’s unique needs and offer social and emotional support to help you and your child face even the most complex condition. Our long history includes the creation of medical advances that save lives around the world. Together, we get your child back to health and enjoying being a kid.
The UW Health Kids chest wall care team includes experts in bracing, physical therapy and surgery for chest wall conditions.
We offer specialized chest wall care at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison and UW Health clinics in Madison, Green Bay, Madison, Oshkosh and La Crosse.
American Family Children's Hospital Pediatric Chest Wall Clinic
1675 Highland Ave /Madison, WI 
(608) 263-6420
Amelia
At age 10, Amelia started wearing a brace for 23 hours a day. After two months, her carinatum corrected. She continued to wear the brace for eight hours a day for seven more months to maintain the correction. Watch Amelia's story
Maddy
Maddy worked with her doctors to make changes to her brace. The result? A brace that provides better results. She expects to complete her bracing treatment in 12 months. Watch Maddy tell her story
Matthias
Matthias spent nine months wearing a brace to treat his carinatum. What began as wearing the brace for 23 hours a day gradually reduced to every other night. Watch Matthias' story
Chad
Chad started bracing when he was 16, but later stopped treatment. He returned to UW Health when he was 19. A new brace reduced his pain and his carinatum. He continues to brace. Watch Chad tell his story
Zach
Zach sought treatment for chest pain when he was a high school freshman. Surgery helped reshape his chest. Watch Zach tell his story and his parents Nikki and Brian talk about Zach’s treatment.
Alex
Alex had a “hole” in his chest for as long as he can remember. When he started feeling pain during physical activity, his doctor recommended surgery. Watch Alex and his mom Pam talk about getting treatment a few hours from home.
Patient resources
Learn more about chest wall deformities from our patient guide (pdf)