Will Pectoral Implants Male My Flared Ribs Look Less So?

Q: Dr. Eppley, There is a surgeon in Turkey that said they think they can remove my rib hump bilaterally with just doing a  3cm incision to remove rib cartilage, how much of the rib flare could I realistically expect to lose?Would pec implants or a sternum implant WITH pec implants be enough to overcome the mild pectus excavatum?

A:You are referring to subcostal rib flare treatment by subtotal cartilage excision. While this can be effective for some rib flare patients, as an older male with more calcified cartilage and significant rib flare I would be less optimistic as to its effectiveness.  If you had to put a percent on it at best I would say a 25% reduction is possible. While some reduction would be achieved it is not going to make a major difference particularly with a mild pectus chest deformity above it.

Ideally you need a diametric approach…meaning augment the chest and reduce the rib flare. (see attached imaging to illustrate the concept)  Together that makes each area look better.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon