Centers of Excellence

The Lung Center

Chest Wall Disorders

Disorders of the chest wall encompass many types of conditions including structural abnormalities that a person is born with (congenital) and those that are acquired by an injury or illness. Chest wall disorders include rib fractures, pectus malformation and thoracic outlet syndrome. A chest wall mass that is caused by a tumor can be either benign or malignant (chest wall cancer).

Why choose Brigham and Women's Hospital?

Board certified thoracic surgeons treat chest wall disorders in conjunction with pulmonologists at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Lung Center. For patients with rib fractures, our surgeons offer expertise in rib plating, a pioneering repair procedure that reduces pain and recovery time. We specialize in proven surgical treatment for two types of pectus malformation: pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum—offering a highly modified Ravitch technique and the Nuss procedure, a minimally invasive approach using video-assisted thoracic surgery. Specialized diagnostic services and treatment techniques are available for patients with thoracic outlet syndrome, a group of disorders caused by compression of nerves and blood vessels in the upper chest area.

Our vast surgical and medical experience and collaboration with specialists throughout the Brigham results in highly informed diagnostics and cohesive treatment plans for patients with chest wall disorders.

I'm a physician. How do I make an appointment?

Call The Lung Center at 1-844-BWH-LUNG (1-844-294-5864) to make an appointment with a chest wall disorder specialist or request an appointment online.

How do I refer a patient?

Physicians can call 1-844-BWH-LUNG (1-844-294-5864) to refer a patient or can make an online referral.

Who are the chest wall disorder specialists?

Where are you located?

The Lung Center is located at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at the 15 Francis Street entrance. Thoracic surgery, pulmonary and critical care medicine and thoracic imaging are adjacent to one another, making accessibility and appointment scheduling seamless.

Learn more about Brigham and Women's Hospital


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