Vacuum Bell Therapy (VBT) for Pectus Excavatum: Long-term Experience at a Single Center | Retrospective chart review | Single-centre | Nov 2012–Apr 2023 | 278 patients | 89 % were male | *Excellent correction: complete correction or >100 % improved from an average standard chest depth of 0.51 cm | Excellent corrections: n=31 | - more likely in patients aged 8 to 12.9 (OR = 2.2, p = 0.039) | Non-excellent corrections: n=247 | Surgical correction following VBT: n=42 | - none with an excellent correction | Important predictors of positive outcome: | • Initial chest depth < 1.5 cm (p=0.008) | • Chest wall flexibility remain and (p< 0.001) | Conclusion: Excellent correction of pectus excavatum via VBT was achieved in a small subset of patients, with better outcomes observed in younger patients with mild defects and greater chest wall flexibility. | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39488480/ | Aughtman S et al. | Mason and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University, Department of Surgery, Norfolk, VA | Journal of Pediatric Surgery | @EmGooteeMD | @StayCurrentMD | Cincinnati Children's
Vacuum Bell Therapy for Pectus Excavatum: Long-term Experience at a Single Center
Infographic · Mar 2025 · 1 min read
In brief
In brief
This 10-year single-center study of 278 patients found that vacuum bell therapy achieved excellent correction in only 11% of pectus excavatum cases, with best outcomes in children aged 8-12.9 years who had mild defects and flexible chest walls. The findings help identify candidates most likely to benefit from non-surgical management.
- Vacuum bell therapy achieved excellent correction in only 11% of pectus excavatum patients, suggesting limited efficacy as standalone treatment.
- Best VBT outcomes occur in children aged 8-12.9 years with mild defects (<1.5cm depth) and flexible chest walls.
- Only 15.5% of VBT patients required subsequent surgery, indicating value as a conservative first-line approach to avoid or delay operation.
- Initial chest depth and chest wall flexibility are the strongest predictors of VBT success—use these to counsel families on realistic expectations.
- No patients achieving excellent VBT correction needed surgery, supporting continued therapy in responsive cases before considering invasive options.
Written by the GCMD Library team from the infographic.
The infographic uses a teal, yellow, and white color scheme with a hospital icon and ribcage illustration. Key statistics are displayed prominently in large yellow text against teal backgrounds. The layout flows from study design details at top, through patient demographics and outcomes in the middle, to predictors and conclusion at bottom. A circular diagram shows the treatment pathway from VBT to surgical correction.
Shelby Aughtman, Charles Hehman, Letitia Janssen, Jamie Golden, Michael J. Goretsky, Robert J. Obermeyer
Aim: To evaluate factors associated with excellent correction in pectus excavatum patients undergoing vacuum bell therapy (VBT).
Methods: A single-institution retrospective chart review was performed November 2012–April 2023 to assess corrections of patients who underwent VBT. Patient demographics, presentation, and results were collected. Excellent correction was defined as complete correction or >100 % improved from an average standard chest depth of 0.51 cm. Data are reported using odds ratio & confidence intervals; and paired t-test comparison. A p-value of <0.05 was regarded as significant.
Results: VBT was utilized in 431 patients with 278 patients included and 153 excluded due to loss of follow-up or incomplete data. Of those included, 89 % were male. There were 31 patients with excellent corrections (11 %) and 247 non-excellent corrections. Initial chest depth < 1.5 cm and chest wall flexibility remain important predictors of positive outcome (p=0.008 and < 0.001, respectively). Excellent correction was statistically more likely in patients aged 8 to 12.9 (OR = 2.2, p = 0.039). Surgical correction following VBT was performed in only 15.5 % (42 of 278) of our patients, none of which were in the group with an excellent correction.
Conclusion: Excellent correction for pectus excavatum via VBT was achieved in a small proportion of patients, with improved outcomes in those initiating therapy at a younger age, with a mild defect, and with increased chest wall flexibility. These data may be used to help determine those more likely to achieve complete correction from a nonsurgical approach and guide decisions towards treatment methods.