Repair of pectus excavatum during HeartMate II left ventricular assist device placement

Pectus excavatum deformity often remains clinically asymptomatic even in cases of a severely diminished thoracic volume and frequently remains uncorrected. In the patient population that requires left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement, a diminished thoracic volume can be problematic and lead to significant challenges in pump and outflow cannula positioning. Here we present a case of pectus excavatum correction during LVAD placement to show that this deformity can be successfully addressed with minimal, if any, additional operative risk at the time of LVAD implant.