We report about a child with Jeune-syndrome in whom surgical enlargement of the thorax at the age of 4 months was performed. In the beginning there was a significant improvement of the respiratory situation. Due to resorption of the interposed ribs there was again a shrinking of the thorax and a deterioration in the child's condition. A reoperation at the age of 8 months couldn't improve the situation anymore, because at that time the child had already additional problems such as pulmonary hypertension and broncho-pulmonary dysplasia. We overview the literature and line out our opinion about the indication for surgical enlargement of the thorax in children with Jeune syndrome.

49 patients with continence-improving operations were reviewed. 41 children underwent a gracilis-transplantation according to Pickrell, 6 patients a free muscle transplantation according to Hakelius/Grotte and 2 patients a smooth muscle graft according to Schmidt. The clinical and manometrical results were compared with data from the literature. Furthermore a new technique of smooth muscle transplantation in the young infant is described. During an abdomino-sacroperineal pull-through procedure a flapped smooth muscle transplantation is performed simultaneously. The circular and longitudinal muscle layer of the pulled-through colon will be turned back and is fixed on the serosa under light tension. Afterwards the whole muscle cuff is repulled into the puborectalis sling. Examinations of the anorectal pressure as well as X-ray investigations showed a good function of the newly-established internal anal sphincter equivalent.

We report on 50 totally colectomised children, most of whom suffered from Hirschsprung's disease. Of the 50, one child died postoperatively of enteritis. On an average, the children were re-examined 5 1/2 years after the colectomy. The findings were as follows: With the exception of four, the size and weight of the patients were within the norm; 20 passed frequent stools of pulpy consistency; 16 suffered from disturbances of continence; 14 developed severe, partially recurrent enteritis. We did not find any advantage of a single method of operation, e.g. Martin's operation.

Chest wall protrusion and depression deformities, also known as funnel chest and pigeon chest, are nosologically a uniform entity. Our own histopathological studies revealed secondary changes, found likewise in arthroses, scolioses, aseptic osteonecroses and inflammatory processes, as well as changes found in so-called primary collagenous diseases of unknown aetiology. Investigation of the collagen metabolism did not disclose differences from the normal II-type collagen either qualitatively or quantitatively. The aetiology of funnel chest and pigeon chest can be defined as follows: A hereditary disturbance of metabolism results in weakening of the wall of the parasternal cartilage, effecting a deformation secondary to mechanical strain by respiration and growth. Psychocosmetic reasons are recognised as indication for operation. In our opinion, the optimal age for operation is the second to the sixth year of life. During 20 years, 765 patients were operated on at our hospital without lethality. Postoperative complications were pneumothorax (4%), pneumonia (2%), after bleeding (2%) and disturbed wound healing (7%). Late results 5 years following surgery were excellent in 57%, good in 27%, satisfactory in 10% and unsatisfactory in 6% of the cases, thus adding up to 84% good results.

A surgical technique which is a modification of the technique described by Ravitch is presented in detail. We employed it in 441 patients, among them 85% with funnel chest, 11% with pigeon breast and 4% with combined funnel-pigeon breast. The pre- and postoperative measurement of the chest deformity which provides an objective evaluation of the surgical result is described. The postoperative results were in 91% satisfactory and in only 9% unsatisfactory. No postoperative death was observed in the last 420 patients. The overall mortality in the world literature is 0,05%.