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Background: Patients with anterior chest wall deformities unsuitable for minimally invasive repair are commonly treated by the modified Ravitch procedure. Although rigid plate fixation of the sternal osteotomy has previously shown to facilitate adequate sternal union, its use is troubled by an implant removal rate of up to 23% due to local complaints or complications associated with bulky plates. In contrast, the use of thinner and therefore biomechanically weaker plates may result in a higher incidence of non- or mal-union. In this pilot study, we evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of rigid sternal fixation by thin pre-shaped anatomical locking plates during the modified Ravitch procedure., Methods: Between June 2018 and December 2019, all consecutive patients who underwent anterior chest wall deformity repair by the modified Ravitch procedure in our tertiary referral centre were included. Data was collected retrospectively. All pectus types were included. The sternal osteotomy was fixated using thin SternaLock Blu plates. Patients were followed for at least one year., Results: Nine patients were included. The group consisted of six male and three female patients, with a median age of 20 years [interquartile range (IQR), 16-35 years]. Median duration of follow-up was 25 months (IQR, 16-28 months). No intraoperative complications occurred. No patients presented with symptomatic non- or mal-union. Plate removal was performed in one patient for atypical pain without relief. No other postoperative complications occurred., Conclusions: Based on these pilot results, thin SternaLock Blu plates are deemed to be safe and effective in providing adequate rigid fixation of the sternal osteotomy during the modified Ravitch procedure. Compared to literature, the need for plate removal within 25 months after surgery was reduced., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/jtd-21-284). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2021 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Background: Xiphodynia is a rare musculoskeletal disorder characterized by pain at the lower anterior chest or epigastric region. Treatment options include oral analgesics, local injection with analgesic or laser therapy. Yet, these often provide only short-term symptom relieve. A definite reduction in pain sensation might be achieved by performing a xiphoidectomy, though studies on its safety and efficacy are scarce. In the current single-centre study the outcomes of xiphoidectomy for xiphodynia are retrospectively assessed., Methods: All patients undergoing xiphoidectomy for xiphodynia between April 2013 and February 2020 at Zuyderland Medical Centre, Heerlen, the Netherlands, were included in this case series. Pain scores using the Numeric Rating Scale were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively and submitted to the Wilcoxon signed rank test. A clinically significant improvement was defined as a 2-point decrease in Numeric Rating Scale score. In addition, surgical outcomes, including complications and duration of surgery were extracted from the patient records., Results: A total of 19 patients underwent xiphoidectomy for xiphodynia. The follow-up ranged from 1 to 83 months. Seventeen out of 19 patients showed a clinically relevant improvement in Numeric Rating Scale pain scores where the overall pain scores also revealed a statistically significant decrease from 8 (interquartile range, 7-8) to 0 (interquartile range, 0-0; P<0.001) after surgery. Median procedure time was 29 minutes (interquartile range, 24-38 minutes) and no postoperative complications occurred., Conclusions: Xiphoidectomy for xiphodynia is a safe and effective surgical procedure with good outcomes on pain relief. Though, future comparative studies are urged to elucidate its value among other treatment options., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/jtd-20-3396). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2021 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)