Pectus carinatum is an chest wall defect in which a child's breastbone protrudes outward abnormally. Sometimes the deformity isn't noticeable until after the adolescent growth spurt. For most children and teens, the main issue with pectus carinatum is the way it appears but chronic pain is not uncommon.

External bracing is the first step in decreasing the problem but severe cases can be corrected with a surgical procedure.  It is a complex surgery with a challenging recovery but excellent long term results can be expected.