Center of Excellence for Pectus
The Center of Excellence for Pectus, established in 2005, is the premier center for the Nuss Procedure to treat Pectus Excavatum and evaluate all forms of Pectus. With over 1,500 successful Nuss Procedures completed, Dr. Barry LoSasso has been treating Pectus Excavatum and Pectus Carinatum for teens and adults since 1999. He trained with Dr. Donald Nuss, the founder of the Nuss Procedure.
The Center of Excellence for Pectus is also one of the few centers to perform chest wall reconstruction in children and adults aged 10-55 years.
Centers of Excellence are defined as teams, facilities, or organizations that provide leadership, best practices, research, and training for a focus area. This means that an organization that qualifies as a Center of Excellence doesn’t just deliver quality care; it does truly exceptional work, setting the bar for everyone else in its industry. We are very proud of this distinguished designation and the work we do in the field of Pectus!
Dr. Barry LoSasso
Dr. Barry LoSasso was born in New York City and received his undergraduate degree from Yale University. He attended Medical School at the University of Florida and completed his Fellowship in Pediatric Surgery at Babies Hospital, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.
Dr. LoSasso is a Board-Certified Adult and Pediatric General Surgeon who has directed nationally recognized Centers of Excellence for the treatment of chest wall deformities in California since 1999 and in Bergen County since 2016. Dr. LoSasso has performed over 1,500 minimally invasive Nuss Procedures to correct Pectus Excavatum (sunken-chest syndrome) in both adolescents and adults (ages 10-55).
Dr. LoSasso trained with Dr. Donald Nuss, the creator of the Nuss Procedure, at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia, before developing his own successful Nuss Program.
Dr. LoSasso has continued to be recognized by his peers for his contributions to improving the care and outcomes for patients requiring surgery. Dr. LoSasso performs the Nuss Procedure at the award-winning Valley Hospital, while providing general surgical care for infants and children at Hackensack University Medical Center, Englewood Hospital Medical Center, Holy Name Medical Center, and St. Joseph’s University Medical Center.
Facts about Pectus
The best age for the Nuss Procedure is between 13 and 16 years old, when the chest’s cartilage and bones are still malleable and easier to manipulate into the correct shape. However, Dr. LoSasso has successfully completed many Nuss Procedures in patients as old as 53.
Most patients with Pectus Excavatum experience chest pain/discomfort, shortness of breath, and fatigue. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should definitely seek a consultation with Dr. LoSasso to see if your pectus is affecting your health.
The Haller Index is a measurement used to determine the severity of your Pectus deformity. For an individual without pectus, their Haller index is 2.0-2.5. To meet criteria for surgical intervention, should you choose to do anything, a Haller Index of 3.2-3.25 is required. The higher the Haller Index, the more severe the depression in your chest and the closer it is to your spine. Dr. LoSasso has successfully treated Haller Indexes of over 20. When you consult with Dr. LoSasso, he will order imaging to measure your Haller Index to determine the severity of your Pectus.
Every patient manages pain differently. We have an excellent pain management team at Valley Hospital that will closely monitor pain following surgery. Multiple pain management modalities, both in the operating room and postoperatively, will be utilized to ensure patients have a successful, uneventful recovery. Most patients experience very little pain after surgery and are quite comfortable throughout their hospital stay.
