ABSTRACT

Discussion and Conclusion:

Because chest wall deformities are associated with congenital heart defects in children and may cause compression in the right heart, evaluation by echocardiography can ensure an optimal management of the defects.

Results:

The mean age of the patients was 7.6 ± 4.5 years with a median of 8 years. One hundred and sixty four (80 %) patients with chest wall deformities were found to have normal echocardiography results. Incidental echocardiographic diagnoses included 10 (4.87%) atrial septal defects, 8 (3.90%) mitral valve prolapses, 7 (3.41%) mild mitral regurgitations, 5 (2.44%) bicuspid aortic valve without aortic valve stenoses, 4 (1.95%) ventricular septal defects, 2 (0.98%) mild aortic regurgitations, 2 (0.98%) dextrocardia, 2 (0.98%) coarctations of the aorta and 1 (0.49%) complex cardiac defect (pulmonary atresia and VSD). Compression in the right heart was evaluated by echocardiography 15 (7.3%).

Methods:

The patients diagnosed with chest wall deformities were investigated retrospectively in the pediatric cardiology unit over a period of three years. The study enrolled 205 children under the age of 18 years diagnosed with chest wall deformities.

Introduction:

To determine the demographic, clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of children with chest wall deformities.