Sternothyroid Muscle, Anterior View

Description

Anterior neck strap musculature is presented with the sternothyroid muscle (musculus sternothyroideus) exposed as a broad, short sheet lying deep to sternohyoid and superficial to the laryngeal framework. Inferiorly, its fibers arise from the posterior surface of the manubrium sterni and adjacent first costal cartilage, then run superiorly and slightly medially to insert along the oblique line of the thyroid cartilage. Medial to the belly, the midline raphe and interval between the paired infrahyoid muscles clarify left right symmetry. Clear separation of sternothyroid from the more superficial sternohyoid matters when teaching the layered dissection of the anterior cervical region and when planning anterior approaches to the larynx and upper trachea. During tracheostomy and emergency cricothyrotomy, these strap muscles are separated in the midline and retracted laterally, and the sternothyroid often limits superior retraction because of its attachment to the thyroid cartilage. Voice related complaints after thyroidectomy can involve more than recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, strap muscle division and postoperative scarring can tether laryngeal elevation and contribute to dysphonia or dysphagia. A practical landmark. Use this illustration for gross anatomy labs covering infrahyoid muscles, surgical anatomy modules on thyroid and airway procedures, and operative notes or patient education materials that explain strap muscle handling during thyroidectomy and tracheostomy. It also supports radiology teaching when correlating superficial neck layers on ultrasound and axial CT at the level of the thyroid cartilage. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.