Patent ID: 8777952

Claim:
A method of treating a patient suffering from funnel chest comprising: making an incision in the patient's chest and introducing a plate underneath the patient's skin and on an outside of a thorax; positioning the plate such that a substantially central portion of the plate is positioned on top of the patient's sternum, and that two side portions of the plate are positioned substantially on top of the patient's ribs; the plate having a curvature, length and width such that, in use, the plate is supported by the ribs to hold up the sternum and such that the plate will be disposed in contact with the sternum and the ribs when the sternum is lifted to a desired position; positioning a power screw with a nut in a hole in the sternum, and turning the nut along the power screw toward the sternum to react against the plate positioned on the thorax, such that the sternum is lifted to the desired position; and fixedly attaching the plate directly on top of the sternum.