Australia's only specialist centre for pectus carinatum bracing & vacuum bell therapy
Pectus Excavatum: Non-Surgical Solution with the Vacuum Bell
Understanding the Eckart Klobe Vacuum Bell for Pectus Excavatum
Pectus excavatum, a condition where the breastbone appears sunken, has traditionally been treated with surgical interventions. However, over a decade ago, in 2005, Eckart Klobe developed a ground breaking non-surgical approach: the vacuum bell device. Since then it has gained significant attention as one of the few truly non-invasive treatments for pectus excavatum.
How the Vacuum Bell Works and Its Applications
The vacuum bell is a soft, dome-shaped device, usually made of silicone. It's placed over the sunken part of the chest, and a small hand pump is used to create a gentle suction inside the bell.
This suction does two main things:
- It lifts the chest: The negative pressure gently pulls the breastbone (sternum) and the attached rib cartilages forward and outward. You can actually see the chest rise when the vacuum is applied.
- It relieves pressure: Doctors believe that the inward curve of pectus excavatum might be caused by too much inward pressure on the growing parts of the ribs. The vacuum bell's lifting action helps to ease this pressure, allowing the chest to grow more freely in the right direction.
The Science Behind the Correction: Your Body's Natural Remodeling Power
The vacuum bell doesn't just temporarily lift the chest; it helps your body make lasting changes by tapping into two natural biological principles:
1. Guiding Growth (The Hueter-Volkmann Principle):
- The Issue with Pectus: Imagine the flexible cartilage in your ribs as a growing structure. In pectus excavatum, it's thought that an uneven or excessive inward pressure on these growing cartilages might cause them to grow inwards, leading to the sunken chest. This principle tells us that pressure can slow growth, while stretching or pulling can encourage it.
- The Vacuum Bell's Role: By consistently pulling the chest outwards, the vacuum bell replaces that inward pressure with an outward stretch. This outward pull encourages the rib cartilages to grow longer and straighter in the forward direction. It essentially "re-teaches" the growing parts of the ribs to develop outwards, away from the body's center.
2. Adapting to Force (Wolff's Law):
- Your Body Adapts: This principle explains how our bones and cartilage naturally adapt and change shape based on the forces they experience. If you put consistent, gentle force on them, they will slowly remodel to better handle that force. Think of how a tree grows around a persistent wind, or how a sculptor slowly shapes clay.
- The Vacuum Bell's Role: The vacuum bell applies a new, outward-directed force to the sternum and rib cartilages. Over time, your body senses this new force. The cells within the cartilage and even the bone of the sternum respond by gradually remodelling their structure. They change shape, straighten out, and become more stable in the new, corrected, outward position. This is how the chest learns to hold its improved shape even when the vacuum bell isn't being worn.
An Important Note on Vacuum Bell Devices: Eckart Klobe
It's important to recognize that not all vacuum bell devices are supported by the same level of scientific research. The Eckart Klobes Vacuum Bell is currently the only device that has accumulated a substantial body of evidence and published journal papers supporting its use as a conservative (non-surgical) treatment for pectus excavatum. This extensive research provides confidence in its design and effectiveness for patient care.
Your Journey with the Vacuum Bell at Our Clinic
Following an initial consultation, we will comprehensively assess if the vacuum bell will be an appropriate treatment.
If the vacuum bell is deemed a suitable option after a 3D scan, we will measure and position the device over your chest. Suction will then be carefully applied to bring the sternum forward as part of the assessment.
Is Vacuum Bell Treatment Effective?
Recent medical research supports the idea that "Vacuum Bell Therapy is a safe therapy for treating pectus excavatum in a non-surgical conservative manner with few complications reported. However, the success of VBT is largely dependent on patient compliance and motivation. Permanence of correction after completion of VBT needs to be properly assessed through rigorous follow-up, and currently the success of correction, i.e. permanence, remains in the hands of the patient."
Want To Try Vacuum Bell Treatment?
Our AOPA qualified Orthotist's can help you today. Please Contact us to book an appointment!