Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sternalis Muscle

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Chest Wall Deformities

Abstract

Sternalis muscle is a supernumerary muscle of the anterior chest wall. It is found anteriorly to pectoralis major and usually courses parasternally to the sternum. It has variable origin from the upper sternum and pectoral region; similarly it has variable insertion to the lower sternum, pectoral region, ribs, and rectus abdominis sheath. Sternalis muscle usually does not employ any clinical symptoms and can be found incidentally in mammograms, Computed Tomograms and Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans. However, the muscle has clinical and surgical significance as it may misinterpreted as tumor and other pathologies of the breast in mammograms stressing the patient to undertake unnecessary further diagnostic procedures such as fine-needle aspiration and core biopsy aiding differential diagnosis. Due to its superficial position, the muscle can be used, when present, as a pedicle flap for reconstructive surgery of the head, neck, chest and breast. Moreover, sternalis muscle has been correlated with chest and breast asymmetry and alterations in electrocardiograms.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Bailey PM, Tzarnas CD. The sternalis muscle: a normal finding encountered during breast surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1999;103(4):1189–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Jelev L, Georgiev G, Surchev L. The sternalis muscle in the Bulgarian population: classification of sternales. J Anat. 2001;199:359–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Scott-Conner CE, Al-Jurf AS. The sternalis muscle. Clin Anat. 2002;15(1):67–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Raikos A, Paraskevas GK, Yusuf F, Kordali P, Ioannidis O, Brand-Saberi B. Sternalis muscle: a new crossed subtype, classification, and surgical applications. Ann Plast Surg. 2011;67(6):646–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Turner W. On the musculus sternalis. J Anat Physiol. 1867;1(2):246–378.25.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Arraez-Aybar LA, Sobrado-Perez J, Merida-Velasco JR. Left musculus sternalis. Clin Anat. 2003;16(4):350–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Christian HA. Two instances in which the musculus sternalis existed. One associated with other anomalies. Bull John Hopkins Hosp. 1898;9:235–40.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Raikos A, Paraskevas GK, Tzika M, Faustmann P, Triaridis S, Kordali P, et al. Sternalis muscle: an underestimated anterior chest wall anatomical variant. J Cardiothorac Surg. 2011;6:73-8090-6-73.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rao VS, Rao GRKH. The sternalis muscle. J Anat Soc India. 1954;3:49–51.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Larsen WJ. Human embryology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kida MY, Izumi A, Tanaka S. Sternalis muscle: topic for debate. Clin Anat. 2000;13(2):138–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Barlow RN. The sternalis muscle in American whites and Negroes. Anat Rec. 1935;61:413–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ura R. A personal interpretation of the origin and nature of the sternalis muscle. Acta Anat Jpn. 1938;7:64–5.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Morita M. Observations of the musculus sternalis and musculi pectorales in mammals and a morphological interpretation of the essence of the musculus sternalis. Kaibogaku Zasshi. 1944;22:357–96.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Standring S. Gray’s anatomy. 39th ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Shiotani M, Higuchi T, Yoshimura N, Kiguchi T, Takahashi N, Maeda H, et al. The sternalis muscle: radiologic findings on MDCT. Jpn J Radiol. 2012;30(9):729–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Ge Z, Tong Y, Zhu S, Fang X, Zhuo L, Gong X. Prevalence and variance of the sternalis muscle: a study in the Chinese population using multi-detector CT. Surg Radiol Anat. 2014;36(3):219–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. O’Neill MN, Folan-Curran J. Case report: bilateral sternalis muscles with a bilateral pectoralis major anomaly. J Anat. 1998;193 (Pt 2)(Pt 2):289–92.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Georgiev GP, Jelev L, Ovtscharoff VA. On the clinical significance of the sternalis muscle. Folia Med (Plovdiv). 2009;51(3):53–6.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Shen CL, Chien CH, Lee SH. A Taiwanese with a pair of sternalis muscles. Kaibogaku Zasshi. 1992;67(5):652–4.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Wood J. On human muscular variations and their relation to comparative anatomy. J Anat Physiol. 1866;1:44–59.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kumaris J. Ueber einige Varietäten der Muskeln, Gefäße und Nerven. Anat Anz. 1903;22:142–52.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Motabagani MA, Sonalla A, Abdel-Meguid E, Bakheit MA. Morphological study of the uncommon rectus sterni muscle in German cadavers. East Afr Med J. 2004;81(3):130–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Le Double A. Sur trente-trois muscles presternaux. Bulletin de la Societe d’Anthropologie de Paris. 1890;1:533–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Bruto da Costa VVP. Musculus sternalis. Proceeding of the 5th international anatomical congress, Oxford; 1950.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Watanabe R. The sternalis muscle of the school boys. Juzenkai Zasshi. 1942;47:2040–4.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Rahman NA, Das S, Maatoq Sulaiman I, Hlaing KP, Haji Suhaimi F, Latiff AA, et al. The sternalis muscle in cadavers: anatomical facts and clinical significance. Clin Ter. 2009;160(2):129–31.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Young Lee B, Young Byun J, Hee Kim H, Sook Kim H, Mee Cho S, Hoon Lee K, et al. The sternalis muscles: incidence and imaging findings on MDCT. J Thorac Imaging. 2006;21(3):179–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Saeed M, Murshid KR, Rufai AA, Elsayed SE, Sadiq MS. Sternalis. An anatomic variant of chest wall musculature. Saudi Med J. 2002;23(10):1214–21.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Demir S, Oguz N, Sarikcioglu L, Ozkn O. M sternalis. Morfoloji Dergisi. 1999;6:53–6.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Bradley FM, Hoover Jr HC, Hulka CA, Whitman GJ, McCarthy KA, Hall DA, et al. The sternalis muscle: an unusual normal finding seen on mammography. Am J Roentgenol. 1996;166(1):33–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Blees G. A peculiar type of sternalis muscle. Acta Morphol Neerl Scand. 1968;7(1):69–72.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Beresford B. Brachial muscles in the chick embryo: the fate of individual somites. J Embryol Exp Morphol. 1983;77:99–116.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Harper WF. The sternalis muscle in the anencephalous foetus. J Anat. 1936;70(2):317–20.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Sadler TW. Langman’s essential medical embryology. 7th ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Schaeffer JP. Morris’ human anatomy. 10th ed. Philadelphia: The Blakiston Company; 1942.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Nguyen DT, Ogawa R. The sternalis muscle-incidental finding of a rare chest wall muscle variant during keloid excision-chest wall reconstruction. Eplasty. 2012;12:e36.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Vandeweyer E. The sternalis muscle in head and neck reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1999;104(5):1578–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Khan UD. Use of the rectus sternalis in augmentation mammoplasty: case report and literature search. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2008;32(1):21–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Kale SS, Herrmann G, Kalimuthu R. Sternomastalis: a variant of the sternalis. Ann Plast Surg. 2006;56(3):340–1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Pojchamarnwiputh S, Muttarak M, Na-Chiangmai W, Chaiwun B. Benign breast lesions mimicking carcinoma at mammography. Singapore Med J. 2007;48(10):958–68.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Ozbalci EA, Saracoglu FO. The musculus sternalis: ultrasonographic verification of a rare but benign mammographic finding. J Breast Health. 2013;9:169–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Anjamrooz SH. Biceps sternalis: a Y-shaped muscle on the anterior chest wall. J Cardiothorac Surg. 2013;8:38-8090-8-38.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Schulman MR, Chun JK. The conjoined sternalis-pectoralis muscle flap in immediate tissue expander reconstruction after mastectomy. Ann Plast Surg. 2005;55(6):672–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Kumar H, Rath G, Sharma M, Kohli M, Rani B. Bilateral sternalis with unusual left-sided presentation: a clinical perspective. Yonsei Med J. 2003;44(4):719–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, University Drive, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD, 4229, Australia

    Athanasios Raikos MD & Panagiota Kordali MD

Authors
  1. Athanasios Raikos MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Panagiota Kordali MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Athanasios Raikos MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Consultant Pediatric Surgeon Chelsea Children’s Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

    Amulya K. Saxena

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Raikos, A., Kordali, P. (2017). Sternalis Muscle. In: Saxena, A. (eds) Chest Wall Deformities. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53088-7_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53088-7_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-53086-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-53088-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation