A Semi-Automatic Computer-Aided Method for Personalized Vacuum Bell Design

hest wall deformities, or abnormal development and appearance of the chest, may be congenital or acquired and may be divided into different categories. The most common category divides these deformities into Pectus Excavatum (also known as funnel or sunken chest) and Pectus Carinatum (also known as pigeon chest). The Pectus Excavatum (PE) is by far the most frequent chest deformity with an incidence of 1 in 300-1000 live births with a male/female ratio of approximately 4:1 and with a tendency to become more evident during adolescence. PE is characterized by an abnormal overgrowth of sternal and costal cartilages which results in a depression of the sternum and costal cartilages. Though PE is an asymptomatic disease in most cases (95% of cases), its aesthetic appearance often cause emotional stress for the child/adolescent. On the contrary, in severe cases, PE is more than just a cosmetic condition since it can be associated with respiratory difficulties and with altered cardiac functions. Worst severe deformities can be repaired surgically via, for instance, Ravitch or Nuss procedures; asymptomatic patients with mild deformities can be treated conservatively by using the so called Vacuum bell (VB), also referred to as treatment by cup suction.