Ryan B. – Pectus Surgery: Patient Feedback

• Surgery date: December 17^th, 2019
• Current age: 15
• Home state/country: Connecticut, US

Briefly, what was your pectus journey like?  (i.e. have you spent years contemplating surgery or researching the right surgeon?  Were you recently referred to Dr. LoSasso? Or Has this been part of your medical plan for years?)

• Ryan’s pectus started to emerge at age 12 and worsened every year.  At the age 14, Ryan expressed he had pressure in his chest while playing sports.  That was when we first researched options for his pectus.  We did a lot of online research and saw great reviews about Dr. LoSasso.  When we discovered he had recently re-located to New Jersey, we made an appointment.  We immediately liked Dr. Losasso and were impressed with his experience with pectus patients.  We started the lengthy process of getting all the tests done to get Ryan’s Haller Index.  At 14, Ryan’s Haller was already severe.  Due to issues with insurance, we decided to wait and monitor his pectus as he got older.  It did not take long.  At 15, his Haller index increase a lot and insurance quickly approved the operation.

Why did you decide on Dr. LoSasso as your pectus surgeon? 

• Dr. LoSasso’s experience with pectus and the Nuss procedure was far beyond any other surgeon we reviewed.  He told us he done over 1,000 Nuss operations.  The fact that he could perform the operation in New Jersey not far from where we lived made choosing Dr. LoSasso a no brainer.

What was your recovery process like? When were you back to your normal activities?

• Ryan was in good physical shape before the operation.  He recovered quickly.  His pain was manageable and he never took major pain killers.  I would say he had the most discomfort at the incision point and not with the bar.  He started physical therapy when cleared playing non-contact sports by February.  He felt so good, we had to hold him back from being more active.  He missed three weeks of school but never fell behind due to the school’s distant learning program.

What is your advice for patients that are hesitant about moving forward with surgery?

• The experience and surgery for Ryan was great.  He feels a lot better with how his chest looks and how he feels.  I would recommend getting the operation done sooner than later.

What is your advice for patients that have an upcoming surgery with Dr. LoSasso? Any recommendations that helped you with the recovery process?

• Our son wanted to get this done.  He did not like the way his pectus looked or how it made him feel. He had a very positive attitude going into and out of the operation.  That has helped with his quick recovery.

Overall, how was your experience working with Dr. LoSasso and team?

• The experience was great.  The hospital was excellent.

Any additional advice or feedback regarding the surgery?

• Limit the painkillers if possible.