Determination of severity of deformity with rib length to costal cartilage length ratio in thorax deformities

Background: This study aims to investigate whether rib length to costal cartilage length ratio is effective in determining the severity of chest wall deformity. Methods: The study included 72 patients (64 males, 8 females; mean age 18.5 +/- 6 years; range, 6 to 40 years) who were operated because of chest wall deformity and 38 control subjects (22 males, 16 females; mean age 14.6 +/- 4.2 years; range, 6 to 25 years). Of the patients, pectus excavatum was detected in 69 and pectus carinatum in three. All participants' rib length-costal cartilage length ratio index, Haller index, correction index and computed tomography depression index were measured and compared. Results: In patient group, there was a mild-level significant negative relationship between computed tomography depression index and rib length-costal cartilage length ratio index (p<0.05). Except for the computed tomography depression index, there was no significant relationship between rib length-costal cartilage length ratio index and other indexes and control group indexes in patient group. Rib length was higher than costal cartilage length in patient group compared to control group. There was no statistically significant difference between patient and control groups in terms of costal cartilage length (p>0.05). Conclusion: Contrary to what would be expected, there was no significant difference between patient and control groups in terms of costal cartilage length. Therefore, studies with larger series are required to demonstrate if costal cartilage length is effective in determining the severity of chest wall deformities.