[Regularities and differences in the structure of the circulatory bed of the sternum]

The investigation has been carried out in 95 preparations of the anterior chest wall of corpses of humans of either sex aged from newborns to 90. It has been established that the blood supply of all the layers of sternum is brought about by the anterior and medial branches of the internal sternum artery forming subperiosteal plexuses on its anterior and posterior surfaces. The posterior plexus is better developed. Its loops are of less size and denser per a square surface unit. Three types of blood supply of the manubrium sterni posterior surface have been distinguished (right-side, balanced and left-side types) as well as two variations of blood supply of the sternum body (in the first variant two sternal branches approach the sternum at the level of every intercostal space, in the second variant--only one does). The outflow of the venous blood from the sternum is brought about into the anterior and posterior venous subperiosteal plexuses and then via one of the three anatomical variations into the internal thoracic veins. The subperiosteal network of the sternum in newborns and infants is of segmentary character and is formed in relation with developing ossification nuclei. With age, in the process of fusion of the ossification nuclei the subperiosteal network looses its segmentary character and acquires a common total character.