Objective To introduce an integral classification method of thoracic deformity. Methods From March 2015 to March 2017, 869 patients with thoracic deformity were observed. The patients were classified according to the traditional classification method at first, and then were classified according to the integral classification method. According to the standard plane of the normal chest wall, the chest deformities were classified into types Ⅰ and Ⅱ: those below the plane belonged to type Ⅰ, and those above the plane belonged to type Ⅱ. Then two types were divided into subtypes Ⅰ-a, Ⅰ-b, Ⅰ-c, Ⅰ-d, Ⅰ-e, Ⅰ-f, Ⅰ-g and Ⅱ-a, Ⅱ-b, Ⅱ-c, Ⅱ-d according to the specific characteristics of malformation. Results There were 840 patients included in the classification system, accounting for 96.7% of the total patients, and the remaining 29 (3.3%) were complicated malformations, which could not be accurately described by using a single classification type. Compared with the traditional classification methods, patients with pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum were divided into different subtypes. Poland syndrome did not exist any longer, and Dove chest alone became the type Ⅱ-c. Conclusion Integral classification method is a simple and practical classification method. Since the method directly depends on the characteristics of malformation which is related to the operation, it plays a guiding role in the operation. But its superiority needs to be further confirmed.
Objective To introduce a novel classification method for pectus excavatum. Methods A retrospective review of 569 operative patients with pectus excavatum between January 2015 and September 2017 in our hospital was performed. The malformations were described and classified from three dimensions: symmetry (abbreviated as S), depth (abbreviated as D) and position (abbreviated as P). The final integral was calculated according to the deformity index, so that the severity of the deformity could be evaluated. All patients underwent Nuss or modified Nuss surgery. Results All pectus excavatum deformities were classified into 24 types. The most common type was S1D2P1, accounting for 27.2% of the total patients followed by S1D2P2, S1D1P2 and S2D2P2, accounting for 12.0%, 11.6% and 11.4% of all patients respectively. S1D3P3, S1D3P4 and S2D3P3 were not found in our patients. According to the integral, 321 patients were mild, 23 severe, and the rest were moderate. The appearance of all patients improved after the operation. Among them, 405 patients were implanted with a plate, 159 with two plates and 5 with three plates. The length of hospital stay was 5-12 d, with an average of 7.3±1.5 d. Conclusion This classification method is a more comprehensive classification, but its scientific and practical characteristics need to be further confirmed.