Barrel chest is a relatively common chest wall deformity characterized by the overall convexity of the anterior chest wall, with increased anterior-posterior diameters. Notably, the anterior-posterior diameter nearly equals the left-right diameter, giving the chest a barrel-shaped appearance. In addition, there is a decrease in the inclination of the ribs, with the angle between the ribs and spine often exceeding 45 degrees. The intercostal spaces widen significantly, and the infrasternal angle enlarges.

The cause of primary barrel chest remains unclear, but it typically develops from an early age. Secondary barrel chest, on the other hand, is often caused by chronic respiratory diseases such as emphysema. It may also arise from thoracic, pleural, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as some other factors.

Patients with primary barrel chest generally do not exhibit noticeable symptoms. However, those with secondary barrel chest often have significant respiratory symptoms due to the underlying disease, such as coughing, hemoptysis, chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulty.

Diagnosis primarily involves a physical examination by observing the appearance of the chest wall, supplemented by imaging examination such as X-ray, chest CT scan, and 3D reconstruction imaging. 

Wenlin procedure

This new generation minimally invasive procedure is specifically designed for protrusion deformity and is ideal for treating barrel chest. The procedure incorporates various innovative techniques to ensure safety and simplicity in execution, greatly minimizing trauma while achieving satisfactory correction results.