[Angle of caudal declination of the ribs and its changes in children with pectus excavatum].

The study of the angle of caudal declination of the ribs in 19 children aged 5 years, and in 23 children aged 8 years undergoing pectus excavatum repair, established that children with deformity had significantly wider angle compared to children of the same age without chest deformity. The angle of declination was not significantly changed 3 years after the operation. Thus it was concluded that subperichondral excision of the rib cartilage and osteotomy of the sternum led to fixed chest position. These data can explain persistent pulmonary dysfunction of the restrictive type in spite of successful aesthetic correction of the deformity.