Sternal angle
Angulus sterni
- Eponym: Angle of Louis; Angle of Ludwig; Angle of Ludovicus;
Definition
The sternal angle (angle of Louis) is the anterior angle formed by the junction of the manubrium and the body of the sternum which varies around 162 degrees in males.
The sternal angle is a palpable clinical landmark under the skin that marks a number of other features:
- Boundary between the superior and inferior portion of the mediastinum
- Passage of the thoracic duct from right to left behind esophagus Aortic Arch
- Tracheal Bifurcation
- End of the azygos system into SVC
- Ligamentum arteriosum
- Loop of left recurrent laryngeal nerve around aortic arch
- Aortic arch starts and ends
References
This definition incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy (20th U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, published in 1918 – from http://www.bartleby.com/107/).
