Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Manubriosternal joint: synchondrosis or symphysis? Analysis of morphology and aging in humans

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The uncertainty about the morphological classification of the manubriosternal joint is historical in the field of Anatomy and is still under discussion. This makes it difficult to teach and diagnosing related matters, especially those that require radiological images. In fact, this subject lacks specific data.

Purpose

This study aims to describe the morphology of the manubriosternal joint and its age-related changes.

Methods

Thirty specimens were divided in three groups: young adults up to 35 years of age, middle-aged adults ranging from 36 to 55, and older adults over 56 years. The subjects were labeled, and blind analysis were performed using the macroscopic and microscopic analysis.

Results

The large presence of isolated fibroblasts and chondrocytes and the lower degree of isogenic groups proved that the manubriosternal joint is a symphysis. Its age-related changes involve the reduction of thickness and hydrated characteristics, loss of uniformity and arrangement of the collagen fibers, hyalinization and the presence of focal lesions, that corroborate with the degenerative process.

Conclusion

The manubriosternal joint is classified as symphysis and the main age-related changes is the relative thickness of the tissue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gardner ED, O’Rahilly R, Müller F, Gardner ED (1986) Gardner-Gray-O’Rahilly anatomy: a regional study of human structure. Saunders, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  2. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF (2011) Essential clinical anatomy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kälicke T, Frangen TM, Müller EJ, Muhr G, Hopf F (2006) Traumatic manubriosternal dislocation. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 126(6):411–416

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Kothari M, Saini P, Shethna S, Dalvie S (2015) Manubriosternal dislocation with spinal fracture: a rare cause for delayed haemothorax. Chin J Traumatol 18(4):245–248

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Rist A, Willscheid G, Rasch H, Paul J (2016) “Manubriosternal synchondrosis”: a rare problem in sports medicine. Sportverletz Sportschaden Organ Ges Orthopadisch-Traumatol Sportmed 30(4):229–231

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Schils JP, Resnick D, Haghighi P, Trudell D, Sartoris DJ (1989) Sternocostal joints. Anatomic, radiographic and pathologic features in adult cadavers. Invest Radiol 24(8):596–603

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Gray H (1989) Gray’s anatomy, 37th ed. C. Livingstone, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  8. Snell RS (1986) Clinical anatomy for medical students, 3rd edn. Little, Brown, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cameron HU, Fornasier VL (1974) The manubriosternal joint–ananatomicoradiological survey. Thorax 29(4):472–474

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ehara S (2010) Manubriosternal joint: imaging features of normal anatomy and arthritis. Jpn J Radiol 28(5):329–334

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Schils F (2011) O-arm guided balloon kyphoplasty: preliminary experience of 16 consecutive patients. Acta Neurochir Suppl 109:175–178

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Goodman LR, Teplick SK, Kay H (1983) Computed tomography of the normal sternum. Am J Roentgenol 141(2):219–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Petry NM (2002) A comparison of young, middle-aged, and older adult treatment-seeking pathological gamblers. Gerontologist 42(1):92–99

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Tolosa EMC de, Rodrigues CJ, Behmer OA, Freitas Neto AG de (2003) Manual de técnicas para histologia normal e patológica. Editora Manole Ltda, Barueri

    Google Scholar 

  15. Ball M, Adigun OO (2018) Anatomy, angle of Louis. StatPearls Publishing. Treasure Island

    Google Scholar 

  16. Weaver AA, Schoell SL, Nguyen CM, Lynch SK, Stitzel JD (2014) Morphometric analysis of variation in the sternum with sex and age. J Morphol 275(11):1284–1299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Mescher AL, Junqueira LCU (2013) Junqueira’s basic histology: text and atlas, 13. edn. McGraw-Hill Medical, New York

    Google Scholar 

  18. Wurzinger (2009) Anatomia, 1st edn. Guanabara-Koogan, Rio de Janeiro

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ross MH, Pawlina W (2006) Histology: a text and atlas: with correlated cell and molecular biology. Lippincott Wiliams & Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  20. Coventry MB, Ghormley RK, Kernohan JW (1945) The intervertebral disc: its microscopic anatomy and pathology. Part II: changes in the intervertebral disc concomitant with age. J Bone Jt Surg Am 27:233–247

    Google Scholar 

  21. Weiler C, Schietzsch M, Kirchner T, Nerlich AG, Boos N, Wuertz K (2012) Age-related changes in human cervical, thoracal and lumbar intervertebral disc exhibit a strong intra-individual correlation. Eur Spine J 21(Suppl 6):S810–S818

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. del Sol M, Vasconcellos A, Olave E (1999) Aspectos histologicos de la articulacion manubrioesternal. Rev Chil Anatomía 17(2):211–216

    Google Scholar 

  23. Divisi D, Di Leonardo G, Crisci R (2013) Surgical management of traumatic isolated sternal fracture and manubriosternal dislocation. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 75(5):824–829

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. El Ibrahimi A, Smahi M, Shimi M, Lakranbi M, Sbai H, Daoudi A, Kanjaa N, Elmrini A (2011) Traumatic manubriosternal dislocation: a new method of stabilization postreduction. J Emerg Trauma Shock 4(2):317–319

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Irani AI, Lee T-Y, Estrera AL, Safi HJ (2008) Repair of a traumatic sternal deformity. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 136(5):1371–1372

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Murala JSK, Nunn G (2009) Management of traumatic manubriosternal dislocation in children. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 138(2):517–518; author reply 518

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the team of Doctors and Technicians of Coroner’s Office of Vitoria, especially Dr. Rogerio Piontkowsky.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Applied Morphology, LEMA, Department of Morphology, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, UFES, Maruipe Avenue, 1468 N, Vitoria, Espirito Santo, 29043-900, Brazil

    Júlia Molinaro Sarcinelli, Ricardo Eustáquio-Silva & Josemberg da Silva Baptista

Authors
  1. Júlia Molinaro Sarcinelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ricardo Eustáquio-Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Josemberg da Silva Baptista
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

JM Sarcinelli: project development and data collection. R Eustáquio-Silva: project conception and manuscript writing/editing. JS Baptista: project development, data analysis and manuscript writing/editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Josemberg da Silva Baptista.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sarcinelli, J.M., Eustáquio-Silva, R. & da Silva Baptista, J. Manubriosternal joint: synchondrosis or symphysis? Analysis of morphology and aging in humans. Surg Radiol Anat 41, 275–279 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-018-2154-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-018-2154-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation