Sternum, Posterior View

Description

Posterior sternal anatomy is presented with the manubrium superiorly, the sternal body centrally, and the xiphoid process tapering inferiorly toward the epigastrium. Along the lateral margins, the costal notches for the second through seventh costal cartilages are suggested as shallow, irregular facets where the internal surface meets the parasternal chest wall. The dorsal surface of the corpus sterni reads rougher and more pitted than the anterior plate, reflecting the endosteal texture that faces the mediastinum and pleural cavities. Midline alignment is clear. This posterior perspective matters because it orients the sternum as a boundary of the anterior mediastinum and as a landmark for procedures that traverse it. Bone quality and morphology at the sternal body and manubriosternal region influence median sternotomy, sternal wire placement, and postoperative stability, while the inferior xiphoid region frames the subxiphoid approach used in pericardial window creation and selected epicardial access techniques. Puncture sites. Wrong depth can injure pericardium, heart, or internal thoracic vessels running just lateral to the sternal edge. Use this artwork in thoracic anatomy and surgical anatomy teaching to contrast anterior versus posterior sternal surfaces, or in procedural training material covering median sternotomy closure, parasternal line landmarks, and subxiphoid access routes. It also fits radiology and trauma education when correlating sternal fractures and retrosternal hematoma with the thoracic cavity-facing surface. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.