Clinical Relevance of Sternal Foramina: A Morphometric Study

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Anthropology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Sternal foramina are anatomical variations of the sternum.
• Understanding their incidence and location is important for medical procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence and precise location of sternal foramina in adult dry sternums of North Indian descent.
• To provide reference points for sternal puncture procedures.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 72 dry adult human sternums.
• Measurements included total sternal length, distance from anatomical landmarks to the foramen, and distance from the midline.
• Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel.

Main Results:

• The incidence of sternal foramina was 6.94% (5 out of 72 sternums).
• Mean sternal length was 127.7 ± 09 mm.
• Mean distances of foramina from the suprasternal notch, sternal angle, and median plane were 118.12 ± 0.3 mm, 116.7 mm, and 2.4 mm, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The incidence of sternal foramina in this North Indian population is consistent with existing literature.
• Accurate knowledge of sternal foramen location is vital for preventing thoracic visceral injury during procedures like bone marrow aspiration and acupuncture.