Review Detail

I wanted to write a succinct review of my experience undergoing the nuss procedure performed by Mr. John Goldblatt. My main motivation for doing so is to provide a little more info on getting nussed by John as there is, save for the 2 reviews below and a few other really dated reviews on some other forums, not much info out there for Aussies looking to get the fix done at home.

So first off, a little bio: developed my pectus early teens, felt very self conscious, hardly took my shirt off in public and experienced all the usual self confidence issues that go with it. Fast forward to my mid-thirties and I started having chest pains when exercising, wheezing chest, hit the wall in performance etc. That's when I decided to investigate potential causes and found out that it may be related to my pectus. I then got a referral from my GP to see John.

He examined my pectus (low level and symmetrical) and the x-ray of my chest and assessed it as moderate to severe. He answered all my questions and explained the procedure in detail. He was thoroughly personable and understanding. Pulled no punches about the recovery being no walk in the park and he also said that he could not guarantee a perfect chest (maybe 60-80%) but enough to lift it off the heart to reduce the pressure and symptoms I was experiencing. The extent to which it could be corrected, he explained, depended on how calcified or ossified my sternum was given my age.

As far as the results go, I would say he raised my sternum around 90%-95%! Amazing results,, my chest looks completely normal, so from a cosmetic perspective I can only sing his praises. It's also worth bearing in mind that he's performed over 200 of these procedures. He also visited me just about everyday I was in hospital, which was 7 long days. The first 2 - 3 days are not too bad pain wise - around a 2-3 as you're hooked up to IV pain relief but, as with all other post surgery experiences go, once they take you off the IV and onto oral meds there is an adjustment to say the least. But by no means should this stop you from getting it done especially if you have the option of going with a surgeon like John as it is totally doable even if your pain tolerance is not the best. They prescribe some pretty hardcore opiates which kill a good 80% of the discomfort. Of course, I can't say how long that discomfort last as I'm only 10 days in post op but I can already see a big difference in my mobility and stamina.

Overall, I'm really thrilled with the results and would highly highly recommend John!