Author: Brian Zindler
Last updated: 3/16/2019
In March 2019 I got surgery for Pectus Excavatum. Below I detail the outcome and my experience with the surgery. I intend to update this document as various milestones are crossed. (medical billing, 6 months out, bar removal ect.) The sections below go into deep detail about my experience, but for those who want want a quick overview view the summary below. This document is written for someone with Pectus Excavatum who is considering getting surgery. When I was considering surgery, I found reading about people's experiences helpful. Hopefully you will find this document useful. While I had a really positive experience it is a very serious surgery and you should assess the risk vs. reward for yourself.
These stats are from the time of my surgery.
Surgery Date:
Sex:
Age:
Height:
Weight:
Haller Index:
Correction Index:
Cardiac Compression Index:
Surgeon:
Hospital:
Pectus Characteristics:
Number of bars:
Insurance:
City of Residence:
02/26/19
Male
27
6'1"
~180
7.95
54%
3.09
Mayo Clinic Phoenix Arizona
Slight asymmetry. Low long deep deformity.
2
Blue Cross Blue Shield
San Francisco
On 02/26/19 at the age of 27 I got the Nuss Procedure done by Dr. Jaroszewski to correct my Pectus Excavatum. I got the surgery for a combination of health and cosmetic reasons**.** Prior to the surgery I had a haller index of 7.95, a correction index of 54% and a cardiac compression index of 3.09. The surgery went very well. I had 2 bars inserted to correct the defect. Post surgery I am able to breath easier and I am really happy with the cosmetic appearance of my chest. My recovery is going very well. I was in the hospital for 3 days post op. During my hospital stay my pain was well managed by the hospital staff. I took a month off to recover post-op. The recovery is hard and has a lot of ups and downs in terms of pain but it was worth it overall.
The cost numbers below are slightly out of date. I ended up paying more due to negotiations between my insurance and the hospital. I probably ended up paying 9k total.
I was lucky to have good insurance. Listed below are the items from my Mayo clinic billing statement for the surgery. After insurance, the total cost of the procedure for me was $1,035.05. My insurance paid a whopping $86,225.06. In the lead up to the surgery, I did not have to do anything to get the procedure pre-approved. Mayo reached out to my insurance to pre-approve the procedure. I did check with my insurance to confirm the pre-approval went through leading up to the surgery. Make sure you are pre-approved! Some items have duplicate descriptions. These are tests that I had done multiple times usually over the course of multiple days.
Here are some actionable tips for the surgery I compiled:
Below is a more in depth report on my experience with the surgery: