Pectus excavatum is a congenital disorder which causes the chest to have a depressed or “caved in” appearance. This condition can worsen as the child ages and some children report chest pain, shortness of breath or limited tolerance for exercise. It is the most common congenital chest wall anomaly in children. MUSC Chief of Pediatric Surgery, Christian J. Streck, M.D., reviews each part of the surgery needed to correct the pectus deformity.