Orthopedics - Oleksa A.P. 2006

Chest wall deformities
Scar-retracted chest wall

Following Pleurisy or other conditions that cause adhesions and scarring, chest deformation occurs with retraction of the chest wall. These deformities lack the specific characteristics typical of funnel chest or Flat chest, because intrapleural scars can pull the chest wall inward in various ways, giving it different shapes. The center of the deformity is always the site where the inflammatory process and scarring were localized. Consequently, additional deformities in the chest and even the spine may develop as the child grows (such as chest Asymmetry, lateral spinal curvature, etc.).

On the sunken side of the chest, the intercostal spaces are narrowed, and the scapula is more prominently contoured like a wing. The excursion of the affected hemithorax is severely restricted, while the healthy side is compensatorily convex with widened intercostal spaces. There may be a noticeable difference in volume between the two halves of the chest, which sometimes causes the mediastinal Organs to shift toward the healthy side. It should be noted that as the child grows, a mild chest deformation may correct itself. However, children must receive Treatment to prevent the chest and spinal deformities from progressing, as there are known cases where lateral spinal curvature has advanced into Scoliosis.