Congenital Chest Wall Deformities in Children: A Narrative Review
Małgorzata Kowalska, Hanna Grabowska, Michał Szostawicki, Michał Puliński, Tomasz Janowicz, Adam Hermanowicz · 2026
Read Congenital Chest Wall Deformities in Children: A Narrative Review by Małgorzata Kowalska, Hanna Grabowska, Michał Szostawicki, Michał Puliński, Tomasz Janowicz, Adam Hermanowicz (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13605206.txt.
Description
Some children are born with chest walls that sink in, push out, or fail to close, and Kowalska and co-authors review these deformities in a 2026 narrative review. The common forms are pectus excavatum, where the breastbone caves in, and pectus carinatum, where it sticks out. Rarer and more dangerous forms include sternal clefts, ectopia cordis, and the pentalogy of Cantrell. The review covers how often they occur, their genetic links, and the full range of care.
Pectus problems affect about one percent of children and run in families, yet no single gene is known. Links to connective-tissue disorders call for heart checks. Gentle treatments now come first: a vacuum bell for the sunken form and a compression brace for the pushed-out form. Surgery remains the standard for severe sunken cases. The clearest gain from treatment is in body image, self-esteem, and quality of life.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Małgorzata Kowalska, Hanna Grabowska, Michał Szostawicki, Michał Puliński, Tomasz Janowicz, Adam Hermanowicz |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 45 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |