Body Of The Sternum In Isolation

Description

Sternal body (gladiolus) occupies the midline of the anterior thoracic wall between the manubrium superiorly and the xiphoid process inferiorly, forming the longest segment of the breastbone. Along each lateral margin, a series of costal notches and demifacets mark the articulation sites for the costal cartilages, with the full facets typically receiving ribs 3 through 6 and the demifacets contributing to the 2nd and 7th sternocostal joints at the superior and inferior ends. The anterior surface appears gently convex with subtle transverse ridges that correspond to fusion lines of sternebrae, while the posterior surface is flatter and faces the mediastinum. Midline anatomy. No soft tissue obscures the cortical contours. These articular facets matter in both teaching and practice because they anchor the anterior ends of the true ribs and define the biomechanics of the upper thorax during ventilation. Fractures of the sternal body after blunt trauma often occur near sternebral fusion planes and can coexist with rib fractures and mediastinal injury, so an accurate sense of facet position helps correlate pain patterns and imaging findings on lateral chest radiographs and CT. Surgical access also hinges on this anatomy, since median sternotomy and sternal wire placement traverse the sternal body and must respect thickness variations and the proximity of the internal thoracic vessels running parasternal on the deep surface. Use this illustration for gross anatomy lab manuals on the thorax, osteology teaching decks on the axial skeleton, and surgical education materials covering sternotomy closure and complications such as sternal dehiscence or osteomyelitis. It also supports radiology and trauma publications that annotate sternocostal joint levels and typical sternal fracture locations. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.