Flat chest is a common chest wall deformity characterized by a flattened appearance of the chest wall, with a significantly shortened anteroposterior diameter that results in a measurement less than half of the transverse diameter.

The exact cause of flat chest is not clear yet. It may be related to genetic factors or malnutrition, and can also be caused by chest trauma, chronic wasting diseases, or pulmonary diseases.

Flat chest can compress the heart and lungs, potentially causing symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. This condition can also lead to significant psychological stress, often making patients feel quite inferior and potentially resulting in severe psychological issues.

Furthermore, patients with flat chest frequently experience spontaneous pneumothorax.

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

Wung procedure

This new surgical method, introduced as an improvement over the Nuss procedure, retains the basic operating principle but integrates innovative and optimized methods at each stage. The Wung procedure employs many unique surgical techniques, including safer and more straightforward methods for the placement and fixation of the bar. These innovations not only greatly enhance the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of the surgery, but also reduce the incidence of complications and shorten the patient’s postoperative recovery time.