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Cold therapy for pain following pectus excavatum surgery

For the past year, Leipzig University Hospital has been routinely using cryoablation to reduce pain during minimally invasive funnelling chest surgery. In this procedure, the nerves running between the ribs are cooled to approximately minus 80 degrees using a probe. This interrupts the transmission of pain for several weeks to months, whilst the structure of the nerve is preserved and subsequently regenerates.

28/07/2026

According to the UKL, clinical experience to date indicates a reduced need for pain relief and faster mobilisation following the procedure. At the same time, the length of the hospital stay has been reduced. The procedure thus addresses a key factor in the minimally invasive correction of pectus excavatum. Whilst the so-called Nuss procedure does not require large incisions, the insertion of metal bars beneath the sternum can cause considerable pain after the operation. In Leipzig, cryoablation is now being used as part of the treatment programme. Paediatric surgery, thoracic surgery and anaesthesiology work together on surgical planning, pain management and aftercare. For hospitals, this approach is also of interest from a process management perspective. More effective post-operative pain management can not only reduce the burden on patients, but also influence medication use, mobilisation and the length of hospital stay.

Press release from the “Leipzig University Hospital” dated 28 July 2026

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