Treatment of Pectus Carinatum

Symptoms

Chest pain and shortness of breath on exertion or exercise, although of course many patients do not have specific symptoms.
Interestingly, asthma-like symptoms are described in approximately one-quarter of adolescents with pectus excavatum. As with pectus excavatum, the effect of a patient's self-esteem, body image, and self-confidence can vary and lead to significant deterioration in mental health. It is also associated with mental illnesses such as depression and social anxiety
 

Clinical signs

Patients with carine chest tend to have a 'barrel chest' shape that may alter the normal movement mechanics of the chest wall and may explain why some patients develop shortness of breath on exertion.
In contrast to the concavity of the rib cage, the position of the heart in the carotid thorax is not affected, but there is an association with a higher incidence of mitral valve prolapse (leaky heart valve) in pigeon chest patients.
 

Diagnosis
A diagnosis of carotid chest is what doctors call a clinical diagnosis, and usually all that is required is a thorough physical examination with a physician familiar with chest abnormalities.
As with pectus excavatum, there is no specific blood test, but radiological evaluation (X-ray) may help assess the severity of pectus excavatum and identify other associated problems such as scoliosis of the spine. The most useful radiological examination is a CT scan of the chest
 

severity and type
It can be symmetric (bilateral) or often asymmetric (unilateral) with the right being affected for some reason more clearly. There is usually compensatory flattening or depression of the rib cage on the side opposite the chest if it is asymmetric or both sides if it is symmetrical. There are different types of classification that have been developed to describe the different types of pectus carinatum but the severity often depends on how prominent the sternum is and the degree of sternal rotation.