rintakudosta

Rintakudosta, or chest tissue, refers to the tissues that form the anterior wall of the thorax in humans and other mammals. In medical usage, the term encompasses the skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia, muscles, cartilage, and bone that enclose and support the thoracic cavity, as well as the adipose tissue that lies between them. The chest wall also contains the intercostal nerves and vessels that provide innervation and vascular supply to deeper structures. In females, breast tissue lies on the chest area but is considered a separate functional unit from the skeletal and muscular chest wall.

Anatomical components include the skin, subcutaneous tissue, superficial and deep fascia, the pectoralis major and minor muscles, the intercostal muscles, the rib cage with true, false, and floating ribs, costal cartilages, and the sternum. Deeper layers include the endothoracic fascia and parietal pleura, which line the thoracic cavity. The chest wall is supplied by intercostal arteries and perforating branches, drained by intercostal veins, and innervated primarily by intercostal nerves, with contributions from supraclavicular nerves near the top.

Functions include protection of thoracic organs (heart and lungs), maintenance of thoracic stability, and facilitation of respiration through rib and chest wall movement. The chest wall also serves as an attachment site for upper-limb muscles and as a structure for heat insulation and energy storage via adipose tissue. Pathologies include trauma, rib and chest wall tumors, deformities such as pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum, and postoperative changes after cardiac or thoracic surgery. Reconstructive procedures may involve chest wall flaps and muscle transfer, highlighting the clinical relevance of rintakudosta.