Introduction
Pectus excavatum, a common chest wall disorder, can have physical and psychological impacts on patients. Selecting the right hospital for its treatment is crucial for achieving the best possible outcomes. New York City, being a major hub of medical excellence, is home to numerous top - notch hospitals. In this article, we will carefully pick five hospitals with excellent reputations for treating pectus excavatum in the city, taking into account various criteria such as safety scores, facility appearance, staff - patient relationships, and patient experiences.
What is Pectus Excavatum?
Pectus excavatum, also known as sunken chest syndrome, is characterized by a concavity of the sternum. It occurs in approximately one out of 1,000 children and is about five times more common in boys than girls. The disorder is usually noted at birth as a mild condition but can become progressively more pronounced over time. Additional symptoms and conditions can include chest pain, shortness of breath (especially on exertion), mitral valve prolapse, associated syndromes affecting skeletal growth, and scoliosis.
The cause of pectus excavatum is not known, but often the tendency to develop it runs in families. Depending on the severity of the malformation, it may cause poor posture, problems with bone growth and alignment later in life. In severe cases, it can shift the heart to the left side of the chest and compress the lungs, limiting the child's ability to take deep breaths.
Criteria for Selecting the Best Hospitals
Safety Score
Hospitals are public places, and patients and visitors can be at risk of contracting nosocomial infections. The safety score of a hospital is a measure of its death rate and readmission rate. These records are publicly available and can be downloaded from the internet. However, some high - ranking hospitals may have lower scores in hospitality and reception. It is essential to consider this factor when choosing a medical facility for pectus excavatum treatment.
Facility Appearance
When patients visit a medical center for the first time, they often prefer a tour of the facility. A modern - looking hospital with high - quality equipment provides patients with a sense of comfort and assurance. The structure and the equipment of the hospital play a significant role in enhancing the patient experience during their stay.
Relationship with Staff
Patients expect respectful and comfortable care from the hospital staff. The way staff members, including orderlies, receptionists, and doctors, interact with patients can leave a long - lasting impression. A positive relationship with the staff can also contribute to the patient's recovery and compliance with the treatment plan.
Patient's Personal Experience
Ultimately, the patient's personal experience is crucial. A patient's comfort, taste, and perception of the facility matter a great deal. National ranking in a specialty is also significant as it indicates the hospital's ability to care for the most complex patients. High - performing hospitals are recognized for their quality medical care.
Top Five Hospitals in New York City for Treating Pectus Excavatum
New York - Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH)
New York - Presbyterian Hospital is a large non - profit hospital that was formed by the merger of New York Hospital and the Presbyterian Hospital in 1998. It is the largest non - sectarian hospital in the US.
The hospital is well - equipped with 2,455 + beds for patients, over 6000 associated physicians, and over 19000 employees. It receives more than 2 million patient visits yearly, accounting for over 10% of the population of New York State.
NYPH operates at five important centers: New York - Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Columbia University Medical Center, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, and Allen Pavilion, Westchester Division.
Main Features
- #1 hospital in NYC
- Teaching hospital of two world - class medical schools
- Ranked amongst the top 5 in the US
- Over sixty medical services available
- Eco - friendly facility
National Ranking in Adult Specialties
Specialty | Ranking |
---|---|
Nephrology | #2 |
Neurology and Neurosurgery | #3 |
Cardiology | #4 |
Gynecology | #4 |
Psychiatry | #4 |
Rheumatology | #4 |
Orthopedics | #5 |
Urology | #5 |
High - Performance in Clinical Management
NYPH has a high - performance score (5/5) as regarding clinical management of aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, knee replacement, hip replacement, and lung cancer, among others. The hospital also utilizes cutting - edge technological advancements such as MRI - guided linear accelerator (the MRIdian by ViewRay), nuclear medicine, EOS machine, the Dilumen, CT scan, and high - quality PET scan. Its highly - trained and experienced professionals are dedicated to providing top - quality health care to patients.
NYU Langone Hospitals
NYU Langone is a non - profit medical health center founded in 1882 and merged with New York University Medical Center in 1948. It offers training programs on an interdisciplinary level for all introductory medical science courses in its health center.
The medical facility contains the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center with top - rated oncology specialists and provides academic medical training for New York University medical students. It also comprises different hospitals such as the Hospital of Joint Disease, Risk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, and NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital.
Main Features
- #2 hospital in the NYC
- Ranked amongst the top ten in the US
- Nationally ranked in 15 adult specialty
- Receives about 37000 patients annually
- High performing in 10 procedures
- Consists of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital
- Ranked nationally in 15 adult specialties
National Ranking in Adult Specialties (Tisch Hospital)
Specialty | Ranking |
---|---|
Orthopedics | #5 |
Rheumatology | #8 |
Geriatrics | #10 |
Gastroenterology and GI Surgery | #10 |
Cardiology and Heart Surgery | #11 |
Diabetes and Endocrinology | #16 |
Cancer | #19 |
High - Performance in Clinical Management
NYU Langone Hospital has a high - performance score (5/5) as regarding clinical management of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, colon cancer surgery, knee and hip replacement surgery, heart bypass surgery, and heart failure.
Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital
Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital is a newly established children’s hospital in New York. It has many child - friendly sculptures at its entrance, making its environment more welcoming. It focuses mainly on acute care for persons below the age of 24 and has a bed capacity of just over 100. The hospital has a wide variety of pediatric professionals and facilities such as an art room, a playroom, and a studio room. Each patient room has a “my wall” touch - screen device for easy access to information and entertainment.
The hospital is renowned for its application of robotics in patient care, with over 20 robots handling various tasks. Some of its pediatric services include adolescent medicine, pediatric nephrology, pediatric pulmonology, pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric cardiology, and pediatric rheumatology. The orthopedic surgery department also has several subspecialties such as sports medicine, spine surgery, and trauma and fracture surgery.
Mount Sinai Hospitals
Mount Sinai Hospitals is a teaching hospital located in the Harlem region of New York. It was first formed in 1852 and is one of the oldest and biggest facilities in the US after the merger of Mount Sinai Medical Center and Continuum Health Partners.
There are over 7000 physicians in the Mount Sinai health system, with a bed capacity of over 300. It was ranked 14th in the United States by the US News and World Report. The hospital has shown its devotion to the preservation of human life and has a high birth rate of over 16,000. It also received recognition from AHA highlights for top - quality treatment for stroke, heart failure, and heart attack.
Main Features
- #3 hospital in NYC
- High performing in 9 procedures
- Nationally ranked in 4 pediatric specialty
- Nationally ranked in 11 adult specialty
- Is a teaching hospital
National Ranking in Adult Specialties
Some of the 16 adult specialties in which Mount Sinai is ranked include geriatrics (#1), diabetes and endocrinology, cardiac and heart surgery, gastroenterology and GI surgery, gynecology, ears nose throat, orthopedics, nephrology, and oncology.
High - Performance in Clinical Management
Mount Sinai Hospital has a high - performance score (5/5) as regarding clinical management of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, colon cancer surgery, hip replacement surgery, lung cancer surgery, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Technological Advancements
The hospital is renowned for its technology - based medical intervention and updated biomedical imaging techniques. Some of the implemented technologies include digital health tools, machine learning for improved treatment, AI and digital usage in the study of pathology, Dose Net for cancer treatment, and minimally invasive cranial access device (MICA D). The health care professionals at this facility have a good track record of taking care of patients, especially those with inflammatory bowel disease.
North Shore University Hospital
North Shore University Hospital gets the number four spot on the list of best hospitals in NYC and is a part of Northwell Health. It is located in the Massachusetts region of New York and was founded in the 1990s.
Key Features
- #4 in New York City
- High performing in 9 procedures
- High performing in 1 adult specialty
- Nationally ranked in 9 adult specialty
- It is a teaching hospital
National Ranking in Adult Specialties
The hospital has a national rank of 14 because of medical specialties like cancer, cardiac and heart surgery, pulmonary and lung surgery, neurology and neuroscience, diabetes and endocrinology, geriatrics, orthopedics, and gynecology. Although it has a relatively smaller number of bed spaces, it compensates with the quality of its staff, reception, and the comfort of its surroundings. It is well - known for its services ranging from advanced neurosurgical care to a nationally reputable heart program and a diverse organ transplant center.
NYU Winthrop Hospital
NYU Winthrop Hospital is a non - profit teaching, research, and academic medical center located in the Mineola area of New York City. It was the first hospital in Long Island, founded in 1896 and was initially called Nassau Hospital. In 2019, it was merged with NYU Langone Hospital and changed its name to NYU Winthrop Hospital.
The hospital has 591 - bed spaces and is a university - level academic medical center with 75 different specialty care. It is one of the many healthcare facilities owned and managed by the NYU Langone Health system.
Key Features
- #5 hospital in NYC
- Is a teaching hospital to a tuition - free school of medicine
- Nationally ranked in 8 adult specialties
- High performing in 8 procedures
- Nationally ranked in 1 children specialty
Medical Conditions Ranking
Medical Condition | Ranking |
---|---|
Cancer (high performing) | - |
Cardiology & Heart Surgery | #21 |
Diabetes & Endocrinology | #35 |
Ear, Nose & Throat | #24 |
Gastroenterology & GI Surgery | #23 |
Geriatrics | #38 |
Nephrology | #40 |
Neurology & Neurosurgery | - |
Orthopedics | #14 |
High - Performance in Clinical Management
NYU Winthrop Hospital has a high - performance score (5/5) as regarding clinical management of colon cancer and lung cancer surgery, heart valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, hip replacement, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The hospital stays on top of the latest technological advancements in medicine, including CT scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), therapeutic radiology, and cystoscopy. Its children’s medical center is ranked #1 pediatric specialty in NY and serves as a teaching hospital with various areas of specialty such as pediatric pulmonology & lung surgery (nationally ranked #42) and pediatric urology.
Treatment Options for Pectus Excavatum
Surgical Option: Nuss Procedure
The most commonly performed procedure for treating pectus excavatum is the minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery known as the Nuss procedure. In this procedure, a prosthetic bar is placed behind the sternum to correct the deformity. The bar is removed after three years when the defect has remodeled into a more symmetrically positioned sternum. The appropriate timing of surgery is typically in the early adolescent years, but patients of any age can be evaluated for this condition. This minimally invasive surgery offers several advantages such as smaller incisions, reduced scarring, reduced operating time, an approximate 90 percent decrease in blood loss, an early return to regular activity, and excellent cosmetic results.
Non - Surgical Option
Patients who wish to avoid surgery or do not qualify for it can choose non - surgical treatment, which pairs vacuum bell therapy with exercises and stretches. Approximately 80 percent of patients who choose this option see an elevation greater