Sternum

The breastbone or sternum Latin ( Latin form of AltGr. Στέρνον " chest, heart, mind ") is a flat, sword- shaped bone at the front center of the chest, where the ribs are attached and their cartilaginous extensions.

For situated behind the sternum structures using the layer name retrosternal, located on the side of the sternum parasternal. The portions of the bone are named as manubrium ( handle), body of the sternum (body), the xiphoid process ( xiphoid ).

The man's sternum is more slender than that of the woman.

At close to the head ( cranial ) end of the manubrium is a notch jugular notch (from Latin jugulum " small yoke " ), well palpable and marks the lower end of the neck, the jugular notch. On either side of this notch are joint surfaces, serve to connect with the clavicles in the sternoclavicular joint. Just below this joint surfaces each marked the notch costal fine the location of the cartilaginous connection with the first rib.

The second rib is on either side at an angle between the handle and the body of the sternum ( sternal angle or Ludovici ), the ribs 3-7 of the notches of the body to the sternum.

The xiphoid process ( the xiphoid or ensiform, sometimes xiphoid cartilage, AltGr. Ξίφος "sword" ) is the bony - cartilaginous lower end of the sternum dar. Sometimes it is connected to it by a bridge of cartilage ( synchondrosis xiphosternalis ).

The xiphoid process is of different shape: it can be designed as a compact or two-beam structure, and bent forward or backward. At the xiphoid put on no more ribs.

In preformed cartilaginous xiphoid one to two centers of ossification may occur in 5 to 10 years of age.

Malformations

To malformations of the sternum see funnel chest, pigeon chest, Harren stone deformity.