Wide angle of the Nuss Center from the doorway.

Nuss Center at CHKD

Home of the groundbreaking Nuss procedure, CHKD has been the nation’s number one center for the treatment and understanding of chest wall deformities for more than 20 years.

Senator Williams Graves Visit To Nuss Center (13)

Chest Wall Deformity Awareness

In recognition of CHKD's leadership in pediatric chest wall construction, Virginia Senator Angelia Williams Graves has declared declare December Chest Wall Deformity Awareness Month.

Mark Your Calendars

The 2025 Nuss Advanced Pectus Course starts October 22. Work with the newest pectus equipment and learn from leaders in chest wall repair. Additional details to come.

Over the years, our surgeons have performed more than 3,000 operations to correct chest wall deformities, making CHKD the go-to facility for all aspects of chest wall treatment.

Meet Our Care Team

Contact Our Nuss Center

Phone: (757) 668-6877
Email: Pectus.Surgery@CHKD.org

Contacta con nosotros en espanol

Contáctenos de lunes a viernes de 8:00 a. m. a 4:30 p. m. al (757) 668-9323.

Helpful Links

Pain Management

Travel and Lodging Information

Refer to Our Nuss Center

Email Pectus.Surgery@CHKD.org to refer a patient to the Nuss Center at CHKD.

Email Pectus.Surgery@CHKD.org

CHKD surgeons Duke, Mcguire, and Kuhn in scrubs in the operating room.

20+

Years of experience

2,800+

Chest wall surgeries performed

97.1%

Surgical success rate

Nuss Center staff showing a patient what the Nuss bar looks like.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Nuss Procedure

Is the Nuss procedure painful? How long is the hospital stay? Our experts answer your most frequently asked questions about pectus excavatum and the Nuss procedure at CHKD.

Nuss Procedure FAQ

The Top Destination for Chest Wall Reconstruction

CHKD has been the leading center for the treatment and understanding of chest wall deformities for more than 20 years. Dr. Donald Nuss, 2022 Ladd Medal Recipient and his CHKD colleagues developed and refined the Nuss Procedure to correct pectus excavatum at our hospital. Over the years, our surgeons have performed more than 3,000 operations to correct chest wall deformities, far more than any other center in North America.

Leading through Innovation, Research and Education

As the innovative creators of a kinder, gentler way to correct pectus excavatum, CHKD surgeons are proud to maintain the leadership established by Dr. Nuss. Our surgeons have published more than 70 studies on chest wall deformities, sharing surgical and non-surgical outcomes, measuring the effectiveness of new surgical techniques and equipment, and advancing the understanding of how chest wall defects affect children’s cardiovascular endurance and self-image. Our unique combination of experience and knowledge have made CHKD the go-to facility for all aspects of chest wall treatment, from consultation and non-surgical interventions to the most complex reconstructive operations.

Are You a Candidate for Treatment?

The two main conditions we treat at CHKD are pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum. See a list of other chest wall conditions we treat. CHKD offers a variety of treatments for these conditions, including non-surgical options such as the vacuum bell and the compression brace. We treat patients from all over the country—and from other countries on occasion.

Request More Information and Make an Appointment

Let us know if you would like a new patient packet and an appointment. Please call our office at (757) 668-6877 to set the initial consultation or email Pectus.Surgery@CHKD.org.

Nuss Center Patients - Before and After Treatment

CHKD's Nuss Center helps patients with a variety of chest wall deformities. Below are before-and-after examples of our patients from a variety of our procedures.

Photo of a Chest after the Nuss Procedure

Photo of the chest wall after the Abramson Procedure

Photo of protruding chest wall before compression bracing.

Photo of a chest after compression bracing.

Photo of a chest wall before Vacuum Bell treatment

Photo of a chest after vacuum bell treatment

Is it Pectus? Send a Photo

In most cases, chest wall deformities can be diagnosed with just a picture taken with your phone or any other device. If you prefer to send our team photos of your chest to review, please visit the link below and we'll contact you with more information.

Send Photos

Nuss Center Patient Experience

Many of our patients tell us that having the Nuss procedure at CHKD changed their life. Hear more about their experiences and why they say they wouldn't have gotten treatment anywhere else.

Rebekah Schrader - Nuss Procedure Surgery

Oct 24, 2023

"We really felt like family ... The Nuss Center and staff at CHKD will always have a special place in my heart."

William Light - Vacuum Bell Therapy for Pectus Excavatum

Oct 11, 2023

"The Staff at CHKD was wonderful. I always felt welcome. I never felt different."

Alyssa Testa - Dynamic Compression Brace

Sep 27, 2023

"Dynamic Compression Brace Treatment is Worth It."

Grateful Patient Says Nuss Procedure Changed his Life

May 17, 2023

Chris Baione says having the Nuss Procedure at CHKD changed his life. Watch his amazing story here.

Featured Video

Grateful patient David Baione says the Nuss procedure saved his life. Watch his video testimonial below.

Patient Story Highlights

Have a Nuss Center story to share? We'd love to hear it.

Share Your Story

Tyler Neville, Nuss Center patient with football

Harvard Bound and Determined

Tyler Neville came to CHKD hoping to get his concave chest repaired. In the process, his doctors discovered that he had Hodgkin lymphoma. He beat both.

Read Tyler's Story