What is the cause of the chest depression?

Our chest area is very important. It can be said that if the chest area is injured, the probability of death will increase significantly. Under normal circumstances, we have the left chest and the right lung, and our chest protrudes slightly outward. Of course, if someone is very thin, the chest will probably be close to the bones, similar to being skin and bones. But now some people feel that their chest is sunken. What is going on?

Maybe chicken breast.

Chicken breast is also called pigeon breast. The sternum bulges forward deformedly, resembling the breast of a chicken or pigeon, so it is called pigeon chest. It is the second most common chest deformity of the anterior chest wall, less common than funnel chest. The incidence rate is about one in a thousand, with a male to female ratio of about 4:1. It accounts for 16.7% of all chest wall deformities. Symptoms appear relatively late, with more than 50% discovered after the age of 11. The cause of the disease is not yet clear, but it may be related to genetics. About 20% to 25% of people have a family history. It is generally believed that it is caused by excessive growth of ribs and costal cartilages. The deformity of the sternum is secondary to the rib deformity, and may also be secondary to intrathoracic diseases.

Causes

1. Congenital developmental abnormalities

Congenital pectus carinatum, like pectus excavatum deformity, is related to genetics. If there is chest wall deformity in the family, the incidence of pectus carinatum is significantly increased. During the fetal or infant period, the unbalanced development of the sternum, spine and ribs causes chest deformity. The underdevelopment of the central tendon that attaches the diaphragm to the sternum is a secondary cause. For example, if the anterior part of the diaphragm is underdeveloped and is not attached to the xiphoid process and the costal arch, but to the dorsal side of the rectus sheath, the lower part of the sternum will move forward due to the lack of diaphragm support, resulting in the formation of pigeon chest deformity.

2. Acquired factors

(1) Malnutrition: Infants and young children do not receive adequate nutrition after birth and suffer from certain nutritional diseases, such as rickets. Over time, this can affect the development of the sternum and lead to chest deformity.

(2) Secondary to diseases within the chest cavity, such as certain congenital heart diseases, the enlarged heart compresses the chest wall, forming a pigeon chest deformity. Flat chest deformity caused by chronic empyema, etc. Long-term chronic respiratory tract infections can weaken respiratory function. In order to meet respiratory needs, the diaphragm movement is strengthened, pulling the Hearsh groove inward and gradually forming a pigeon chest deformity. It may also occur secondary to cardiac or thoracic surgery.

The incidence of pectus carinatum is lower than that of pectus excavatum, and the clinical symptoms are also milder, so it is not taken seriously by patients and their families. Mild cases of pectus carinatum often do not require medical treatment, but severe cases of pectus carinatum have obvious deformity and are easy to diagnose clinically. The lateral chest X-ray can clearly show the deformity of the sternum. A detailed examination of the chest, cardiovascular and other systems and organs should be performed to check for multiple malformations.