Complex regional pain syndrome following the nuss procedure for severe pectus excavatum

Abstract

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is not an uncommon complication after surgery, but has never been reported after the Nuss procedure for repairing pectus excavatum. A 22-year-old man with pectus excavatum had type I CRPS that developed 2 weeks after the Nuss procedure. He complained of persistent pain, hyperalgesia, weakness, edema, and color and temperature changes on right upper extremity. Following intensive rehabilitation, the degree of pain, weakness and edema were ameliorated. He recovered 6 months after surgery and the pectus bars were removed uneventfully 3 years after the repair.