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hi gazz

you are indeed correct on the assumption that the nhs can take a while, and so if you can afford to go private, then by all means do so

as for the pros/cons of the two main surgery types, it's a tough one. i think that many will agree with me when i say that the absolute uppermost importance is how much experience your surgeon has with a procedure.

there are, of course, other points:

ravitch (which is what i have had, and so i can only really comment on that), will leave a scar. in your case, i guess you already have some scarring from the implant, and so they would probably work with that. nuss scarring is virtually non-existant (save for the insertion points), and is clearly the major plus point of that procedure.

i am more or less back to normal (physically) after 4 weeks after surgery. from what i understand, nuss recovery takes longer (i may be wrong).

i took major painkillers (codeine) for a few days after the surgery, and thereafter i took paracetamol for about a week, and then nothing. i understand that nuss patients take painkillers over a longer period of time.

nuss patients obviously have the bar in place for several years, and then return for a second surgery.

clearly i think that the best option is to talk to surgeons and see what they say. there are other circumstances that need to be taken into consideration, i.e. how symmetrical is your pe? how severe is your pe?

most of all though, as i said above, the experience of the surgeon is THE most important factor.

lastly, hopefully no-one will jump down my throat re: my assumptions on nuss. those are simply my understanding of the procedure, and like i said, i have had the ravitch based for my own reasons.

hope that helps you.

if you have any more questions, then shout. let us know how things go.

cheers.

no worries.

ravitch was pretty much the only choice, in all honesty. however, i would have probably chosen that route anyway, due to less time out of action. also, once it's done, it's done. i agree with you on the fear of nuss failure.

i too have a vertical scar about 5 inches long. it's healing well, and i'm using some vitamin e oil to help it along.

i am pleased with the results, yes. i do have some rib-flare still, but that doesn't really bother me as much as the actual indentation did. i'll need to do some weights in order to beef myself up a bit, but that'll have to wait until the consultant allows me to return to exercise. i don't think the scar will be hidden by muscle, since the scar is straight down the middle. however, scars do heal over time, and like you say, your implant scar is hardly noticable. i suppose the tradeoff is between the indentation and the scar; i know which i'd rather have

when you say that the surgeon had 'some experience' of ravitch, do you know how much? how many does he do a year? i think that's a key point. if you are going to pay for it, can you choose who you wish to see? if that is indeed the case, then perhaps you should see the surgeon i saw (Mr Morgan, who covers the south-west). he is very experienced in the procedure.

hope that helps. any more questions, then do ask.

i was 28 when i had the surgery.