Complications after pectus excavatum repair using pectus bars in adolescents and adults: risk comparisons between age and technique groups

Abstract OBJECTIVES To compare the complications associated with age and technique groups in patients undergoing pectus excavatum (PE) repair. METHODS The data of 994 patients who underwent PE repair from March 2011 to December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Mean age was 9.59 years (range 31 months–55 years), and 756 patients were men (76.1%). The age groups were defined as follows: Group 1, 24 years. The technique groups were defined as follows: Group 1, patients who underwent repair with claw fixators and hinge plates; Group 2, patients who underwent repair with our ‘bridge’ technique. Complications were compared between age groups and technique groups. RESULTS No cases of mortality occurred. Complication rates in the age groups 1–7 were 5.4%, 3.6%, 12.1%, 18.2%, 17.3%, 13.9% and 16.7%, respectively. The complication rate tripled after the age of 10. In multivariable analysis, odds ratio of Groups 4, 5 and 7 and asymmetric types were 3.04, 2.81, 2.97 and 1.70 (P