Prenatal diagnosis of pectus excavatum

Abstract

Pectus excavatum (PE) is the depression of the lower part of manubrium sterni and xiphoid process. The main problem of PE depends on the cardiopulmonary morbidity caused by the narrowing of the thoracic space. To date, prenatal diagnosis of this deformity has been reported only once and was associated with Down syndrome. We present another case which we diagnosed as PE during a second-trimester fetal anatomic scan. The pectus severity index is used for these patients in postnatal life; however, prenatal adaption of this index is reported for the first time in our case.