Pectus Excavatum Implant - Under or over Muscle?

Should a large custom implant to correct pectus excavatum be placed under or over the pectoralis muscle? I heard that the under muscle implant have a better aesthetic result, but seems that the surgeons usually put the implant over the muscle... What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option? Thank you.

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pectus excavatum placement

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1 Doctor Answer | Asked by Charles31

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Pectus Excavatum and Custom Implant Placement?

Thank you for the question. Generally speaking, the more tissue present between the skin and the underlying implant, the better. However, most patients with pectus excavatum who undergo reconstruction with custom-made silicone implants do not have significant amount of “soft tissue” overlying the area of concern ( sternum and surrounding areas). Therefore, the implants are usually placed in a carefully dissected pocket overlying the sternum and rib cage. Fortunately, the... more