Repair of pectus excavatum. Anesthetic considerations.

The majority of patients undergoing pectus excavatum repair can be safely anesthetized with routine clinical preoperative evaluation and chest radiography. Electrocardiography, echocardiography, arterial blood gas, and pulmonary function tests should be reserved for patients with suspected coexisting conditions, such as mitral valve prolapse, skeletal abnormalities, Marfan's syndrome, and pulmonary disease. The choice of surgical repair and the advisability of placement of an epidural catheter or intercostal blocks for perioperative pain management should be discussed with the surgical team. Postoperatively, patients should be carefully monitored for signs of tension pneumothorax and pneumonia.