Costosternala

Costosternala is an anatomical term used to describe structures and relations associated with the costosternal junction, the region where the ribs connect to the sternum. In English, the more common terms are costosternal or sternocostal; costosternala is a less common variant that appears in some multilingual or older texts.

Anatomy: The sternum articulates with costal cartilages at the sternocostal joints. The first sternocostal joint is a primary cartilaginous joint (synchondrosis), while joints 2 through 7 are typically synovial. The connections between the ribs and their cartilages are the costochondral joints. The term costosternal may also be used to encompass the adjacent costosternal and related cartilaginous connections that contribute to the rib cage’s stability and mobility.

Function: These joints and cartilages allow the rib cage to expand and contract during respiration while maintaining chest stability. The cartilaginous portions also help absorb minor stresses from movement and coughing or heavy breathing.

Clinical significance: Pain or dysfunction in the costosternal region can arise from trauma, inflammation (costosternal or sternocostal pain), arthritis of the sternocostal joints, or costochondritis. Accurate terminology is important in clinical documentation, with costosternal or sternocostal terms preferred in English.

Etymology: The term derives from Latin costa (rib) and sternum, with the suffix -al indicating a relation to.

See also: sternocostal joint, costochondral joint, rib cage, sternum, costal cartilage.