Chest/rib disorders: The Daily PANCE Blueprint

Home Chest/rib disorders: The Daily PANCE Blueprint

Chest/rib disorders: The Daily PANCE Blueprint

A 15-year-old male comes to your clinic for a well-child visit. You notice his arms are extremely long, as well as his fingers. On physical exam, you also appreciate inward protrusion of the lower and middle part of the sternum. What is this physical exam finding called?

A. Normal finding
B. Pectus excavatum
C. Pectus carinatum
D. Barrel chest
E. Flail chest

Answer and topic summary

The answer is B. Pectus excavatum

Pectus excavatum is a sternal deformity in which the lower and middle part of the sternum actually protrudes inward. It is the most common deformity of the anterior chest wall. Sometimes it occurs randomly, but it is classically associated with Marfan syndrome or other connective tissue disorders. It can be surgically repaired, but this is usually for those who have complications (e.g., restrictive ventilatory defect) or severe signs and symptoms.

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Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint Musculoskeletal ⇒ Chest/rib disorders

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