Supporting individuals living with chest wall conditions with 24/7 medical safety protection.
Pectus Matters (a UK-based charity that supports patients with chest wall deformities like pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum) partners with MedicAlert primarily to protect post-operative patients in medical emergencies.
For patients who have pectus surgery, Pectus Matters recommends wearing a medical ID bracelet. Having cardiothoracic surgery means that patients are at risk of complications which can affect the heart and lungs.
Not only this, surgery to correct pectus conditions appears to have a higher rate of complications than the national average. Due to the lack of specialist surgical centres in the UK and poor understanding of pectus conditions across the NHS, many patients live hundreds of miles from the hospital where they had surgery. This can leave patients feeling isolated and anxious about having to contact local services if they have complications. Wearing a medical ID bracelet allows you to carry the essential information about your surgery and your specific needs on your wrist.
Apply for Funded Membership Below
1. Alerting First Responders to Implanted Hardware or Surgical Alterations
When a patient undergoes surgery to correct a pectus condition (such as the Nuss procedure, Ravitch procedure, or PectusUp), metal bars, stabilizers, or implants are placed inside the chest cavity to hold the sternum and ribs in place.
• Performing traditional chest compressions (CPR) or using defibrillators on a patient with pectus bars requires specific adjustments.
• A MedicAlert ID alerts paramedics, emergency medicine doctors, and first responders immediately that the patient has internal surgical hardware before standard emergency procedures are carried out.
2. Fast Access to Critical Surgical History
In an emergency where a patient might be unconscious or unable to communicate, MedicAlert’s 24/7 service allows first responders to quickly access detailed medical files. This includes information about:
• When the pectus surgery was performed. • What type of metal hardware/implants were used (important for MRI scans or surgical intervention). • Potential cardiac or respiratory complications associated with chest wall conditions.
3. Funding Post-Op Support Packs
To make protection accessible, Pectus Matters offers a Post-Op Support Pack for UK patients preparing for or recovering from surgery. As part of this partnership:
• Pectus Matters fully funds or sponsors a free 1-year MedicAlert membership.
• Patients receive financial assistance towards purchasing their custom-engraved MedicAlert medical ID
Visit pectusmatters.org
Anyone that has been referred by Pectus Matters can apply to MedicAlert through this partnership.
Complete the form below to provide us with your basic information and upload your PDF provided by Pectus Matters.
We will verify your details and email you a code that you can use to create your MedicAlert membership.
Use the code to set up your account, complete your medical record and choose your MedicAlert ID.
If you want to stay up-to-date with MedicAlert news and be the first to hear about new products and offers, sign up to our newsletter today.
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