Pectoral region and breast Flashcards
What is the function of the clavicle?
• Connects the upper limb to the trunk.
• Serves as a moveable, crane-like strut from which the scapula and free limb are suspended, keeping them away from the trunk for maximum freedom of motion.
• Allows the scapula to move on the thoracic wall at the scapulothoracic joint, increasing the range of motion of the limb.
• Forms one of the bony boundaries of the cervico-axillary canal, protecting the neurovascular bundles supplying the upper limb.
• Transmits shocks from the upper limb to the axial skeleton.
Describe the shape and structure of the clavicle.
• Shaft of the clavicle has a double curve (S-shaped) in the horizontal plane.
• Medial part of the shaft is convex anteriorly.
• Lateral part of the shaft is concave anteriorly.
• The clavicle is a long bone with no medullary (marrow) cavity, consisting of trabecular (spongy) bone with a shell of compact bone.
What are the two ends of the clavicle and where do they articulate?
• Sternal end: Enlarged and triangular, articulates with the manubrium of the sternum at the sternoclavicular (SC) joint.
• Acromial end: Flat, articulates with the acromion of the scapula at the acromioclavicular (AC) joint.
What are the key landmarks on the clavicle?
• Conoid tubercle: Near the acromial end, attachment to the conoid ligament (part of the coracoclavicular ligament).
• Trapezoid line: Attachment of the trapezoid ligament (lateral part of the coracoclavicular ligament).
• Subclavian groove: In the medial third of the shaft, attachment of the subclavius muscle.
• Impression for the costoclavicular ligament: Rough, depressed oval area near the medial end, attachment for the ligament binding the first rib to the clavicle.
What is the role of the clavicle in terms of movement and joint types?
• The clavicle forms a physiological joint where movement occurs between musculoskeletal structures.
• It forms an anatomical joint at the sternoclavicular (SC) and acromioclavicular (AC) joints, where movement occurs between directly articulating skeletal elements.
Describe the superior and inferior surfaces of the clavicle.
• Superior surface: Smooth, lies just deep to the skin and platysma muscle in the subcutaneous tissue.
• Inferior surface: Rough, with strong ligaments binding it to the first rib near its sternal end and suspending the scapula from its acromial end.
How does the curvature of the clavicle affect its function?
The curvatures of the clavicle increase its resilience, helping it absorb and transmit forces from the upper limb to the axial skeleton.
Describe the scapula’s general structure and location.
• The scapula is a triangular, flat bone.
• It lies in the posterolateral aspect of the thorax, overlying the 2nd to 7th ribs.
What are the features of the scapula’s posterior surface?
• The posterior surface is convex.
• It is unevenly divided by a thick projecting ridge called the spine of scapula into:
1. Supraspinous fossa (smaller)
2. Infraspinous fossa (larger)
What is found on the costal surface of the scapula?
• The costal surface is concave and forms the subscapular fossa, which is large and serves as a surface for muscle attachment.
What are the main landmarks of the scapula?
• Body of scapula: Thin, triangular, translucent superiorly and inferiorly to the spine, with thicker borders (especially the lateral border).
• Acromion: Flat, expanded lateral continuation of the spine, forms the subcutaneous point of the shoulder, and articulates with the acromial end of the clavicle.
• Deltoid tubercle: Medial attachment of the deltoid muscle on the scapular spine.
• Spine of scapula: Acts as a lever for the trapezius muscle, together with the acromion.
Describe the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint and its relationship with the scapula.
• The AC joint is lateral to the mass of the scapula and its attached muscles.
• The shoulder joint, where these muscles operate, is almost directly inferior to the AC joint.
• The scapular mass is balanced by the free limb, with the CC ligament acting as the balancing point between the two masses.
What is the function and structure of the glenoid cavity?
• Located on the superolateral surface of the scapula.
• It receives and articulates with the head of the humerus at the shoulder joint.
• The glenoid cavity is a shallow, concave, oval fossa, smaller than the head of the humerus, serving as a socket for it.
What is the coracoid process and its function?
• The coracoid process is beak-like, located superior to the glenoid cavity.
• It projects anterolaterally, resembling a bent finger towards the shoulder.
• The “knuckle” provides inferior attachment for the passively supporting CC ligament.
Describe the scapula’s borders and angles.
• Borders:
o Medial border: Runs parallel to and lateral to the spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae.
o Lateral border (axillary border): Runs superolaterally from the inferior angle toward the apex of the axilla, composed of a thick bar of bone to prevent buckling.
o Superior border: The thinnest and shortest border, marked by the suprascapular notch where it joins the base of the coracoid process.
• Angles:
o Superior, lateral, and inferior angles.
What is the primary function of the scapula?
The scapula allows considerable movement on the thoracic wall at the physiological scapulothoracic joint, providing the base from which the upper limb operates and is able to move freely.
What type of joint is the sternoclavicular (SC) joint and what is its function?
• The SC joint is a saddle-type synovial joint that functions like a ball-and-socket joint.
• It serves as the only articulation between the upper limb and the axial skeleton.
How is the articular disc in the SC joint structured and what is its function?
• The articular disc divides the joint into two compartments.
• It is attached by the anterior and posterior sternoclavicular ligaments, thickenings of the fibrous layer of the joint capsule, and the interclavicular ligament.
• The disc serves as a shock absorber for forces transmitted from the upper limb.
What are the articular surfaces of the SC joint?
• The sternal end of the clavicle articulates with:
o The manubrium of the sternum.
o The 1st costal cartilage.
Describe the joint capsule of the SC joint.
• The joint capsule surrounds the SC joint, including the epiphysis at the sternal end of the clavicle.
• It attaches to the margins of the articular surfaces, including the periphery of the articular disc.
• The synovial membrane lines the internal surface of the fibrous layer of the joint capsule, extending to the edges of the articular surfaces.
What ligaments reinforce the SC joint and what are their functions?
• Anterior and posterior sternoclavicular ligaments: Reinforce the joint capsule anteriorly and posteriorly.
• Interclavicular ligament: Strengthens the capsule superiorly and is also attached to the superior border of the manubrium.
• Costoclavicular ligament: Anchors the inferior surface of the sternal end of the clavicle to the first rib and its costal cartilage, limiting the elevation of the pectoral girdle.
What is the movement range and type of movement at the SC joint?
• The SC joint can be raised to approximately 60° when the limb is fully elevated.
• The clavicle rotates along its longitudinal axis during elevation via flexion.
• Movement anteriorly and posteriorly ranges from 25° to 30°.
• Circumduction is possible through the combination of these movements.
What is the blood supply to the SC joint?
• The SC joint is supplied by the internal thoracic and suprascapular arteries.
What is the innervation of the SC joint?
• The SC joint is innervated by branches of the medial supraclavicular nerve and the nerve to the subclavius.