The pectus anomaly Pectus Excavatum (funnel chest) occurs where the sternum (breastbone) is depressed giving a concave shape to the chest. Some patients may experience asymmetry of the chest, the sternum may be rotated or there may be a mixed “rolling” shape to the chest with one side elevated and the other depressed. Pectus Excavatum varies in severity, ranging from a mild indentation to severe, for example a patient with a severe pectus excavatum may have only a few centimetres between the deep aspect of their sternum and the front of the spine.

Treatment for Pectus Excavatum is with a silicone custom made implant which allows the defect to be filled to exact specification maintaining a similar texture to that of normal chest tissue. Alternatively, for smaller defects, fillers, including patients own fat, can be used. That is, fat taken from elsewhere on the body (often buttocks or thighs) and injected into the chest depression. These are both tried and tested treatments that have a long history of success and safety.