Morphological study of the uncommon rectus sterni muscle in German cadavers.
OBJECTIVE
The present investigation has been designed to study the incidence of the rectus stern muscle in German human cadavers dissected in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, trying to find a postulation for the development of such muscle when present.


METHODS
Gross dissection of 130 cadavers, of both sexes, was performed throughout a period of 10 years.


METHODS
Department of Anatomy College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
Investigation of the origin and insertion of the rectus sterni and measurements of its length and width.


RESULTS
Two adult cadavers, one of each sex, had shown well-developed bilateral rectus stern muscles. All muscles identified were parasternal in position, being superficial to the medial portion of the pectoralis major muscle. Minor morphological differences were observed among the four muscle masses concerning their length, breadth, origin and insertion.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study has determined the incidence of the rectus sterni muscle, in German cadavers to be 1.54% per bodies examined compared to 4% in cadavers from Saudis. Such a frequency is compared to that reported in different geographic populations. The rectus sterni muscle is innervated by the anterior cutaneous branches of the intercostal nerves. The description of the rectus sterni muscle and its incidence determined in the present study, might be of a great help for clinicians radiographing or tackling the pectoral region.
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O Box 2114, Dammam, 31451, Saudi Arabia.
M A
MA
Motabagani
A
A
Sonalla
E
E
Abdel-Meguid
M A
MA
Bakheit
D000328:Adult; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013249:Sternum / Q000033:anatomy & histology*