CBCL Scale
Patient group
Control group
x2
P
N = 337
N = 370
Withdrawn
23 (6.82)
12 (3.24)
4.808
0.028a
Somatic complaints
15 (4.45)
8 (2.16)
2.692
0.087
Anxious/depressed
27 (8.01)
15 (4.05)
4.944
0.026a
Social problems
21 (6.23)
9 (2.43)
6.264
0.012a
Thought problems
17 (5.04)
12 (3.24)
1.455
0.228
Attention problems
16 (4.75)
13 (3.51)
0.683
0.409
Delinquent behavior
19 (5.64)
11 (2.97)
3.038
0.079
Aggressive behavior
21 (6.23)
13 (3.51)
2.846
0.092
Total problem
66 (19.58)
47 (12.70)
6.220
0.013a
Patient Experience
AB: Male, 17 Years of Age
My experience of pectus excavatum and how I felt afterwards.
The main reason why I had the nuss technique surgery was cosmetic, although I was concerned that the condition might affect my lung capacity in the future even though I do not have respiratory problems now.
I first noticed when I was 13 years old in September 2011, my friends at school commented on it and I didn’t really like that. We went away to Egypt that Christmas and my older brother pointed it out to me and I realised that it was quite severe. During the next 6 months it seemed to get worse. In summer 2012, I went to the doctor. I had looked it up by then and knew that I probably had a condition called ‘pectus excavatum’. My GP said it was quite common but when I showed him my chest he did say that this was the worst case he had ever seen, and referred me to the hospital. That made me feel quite self conscious. Throughout the following year I was seen by a consultant a couple of time and had various photographs and tests. When I went on family holidays I did not like taking my t-shirt off which stopped me participating in some activities, for example swimming, that I would have done if it wasn’t for my chest (Figs. 18.1, 18.2, and 18.3).
Fig. 18.1
Before: Front view
