Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum (PE) is sometimes associated with psychological and physiological difficulties influencing a patient's quality of life. Treatment with a hyaluronic acid (HA)-based gel may benefit patients and be an alternative to other more invasive treatments. OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to evaluate the effectiveness in terms of satisfaction, duration, and safety of HA gel treatment for PE including impact on quality of life. METHODS: Males ≥18 years having PE without functional problems received HA gel injections (50 - 150 mL) at the site of deformity and in some cases at the medial pectoralis muscle borders to optimize the aesthetic result. Follow-up visits were performed after 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months with optional retreatment at the 24-month visit including a 1-month follow-up. Evaluations included Pectus Excavatum Evaluation Questionnaire, patient satisfaction, magnetic resonance imaging, and safety assessments. RESULTS: The treatment significantly improved patients' self-esteem (P < 0.001) and psychosocial function (P ≤ 0.038) throughout the study, as assessed by Pectus Excavatum Evaluation Questionnaire. Patients were satisfied with the aesthetic outcome and considered the treatment mild in terms of level of pain during injection. Treatment effects were maintained up to 24 months and 58% of the HA gel remained at this visit, shown by Magnetic Resonance Imaging measurements. The treatment was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of PE with HA gel improved patient quality of life related to self-esteem and psychosocial functioning including aesthetically pleasing results. The treatment may also offer benefits in terms of safety and tolerability compared with other treatments.