Patient satisfaction after Nuss procedure with one or two bars in young adults: A propensity score-matched cohort study.

Background: The Nuss procedure is the primary treatment for pectus excavatum (PE), but patient expectations are not always met. In our unit, our standard approach in the last few years has been the routine application of two bars instead of one. We aimed to retrospectively assess the impact of this approach on patient satisfaction, quality of life (QoL) and safety.

Methods: A retrospective study included 182 patients over 16 years old who underwent the Nuss procedure for PE between January 2007 and September 2021. Patients were categorized into one-bar or two-bar correction groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used, resulting in 30 patients in each group. Primary endpoints were QoL and cosmetic satisfaction, while secondary endpoints included complications and recurrence.

Results: After PSM, both groups showed similar general characteristics. Patients treated with two bars reported fewer psychological complaints post-surgery (93.3% vs. 73.3%, p = 0.031). There were no significant differences in QoL improvement (96.7% in both groups, p = 0.197), perioperative complications (p = 0.771) or recurrence (one patient in the one-bar group, p = 1.000).

Conclusions: Our study reveals that patients undergoing the Nuss Procedure for PE with two bars exhibit comparable clinical outcomes and QoL to those with one bar. However, patients with two bars may have higher levels of psychological well-being and satisfaction, indicating potential benefits associated with this approach. These findings suggest potential advantages of the two-bar approach, but further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm these observations.