Joints and ligaments · Upper limb
SC capsule !
The sternoclavicular capsule seals the joint between the collarbone and the breastbone; its back part is the strongest.
Official name: Sternoclavicular joint capsule
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What it is
The capsule around the joint between the collarbone and the breastbone.
What it does
Seals the joint; its back part is the strongest.
Key facts
- Attaches
- Medial end of the clavicle to the manubrium and 1st costal cartilage
- Function
- Strong; with the sternoclavicular ligaments it is the only bony link between the arm and the trunk
Relations
- Contents
- SC disc, which splits the joint into two cavities
- In front
- Clavicular and sternal heads of the sternocleidomastoid and the pectoralis major origin; skin
- Behind
- Sternohyoid and sternothyroid; then the brachiocephalic vein, the common carotid artery (on the right the brachiocephalic trunk), trachea and oesophagus
- Below
- Costoclavicular ligament from the first rib, the pivot of clavicular movement
- Above
- Interclavicular ligament across the jugular notch
How to find it
The medial ends of both clavicles are felt on either side of the jugular (suprasternal) notch; when the shoulders shrug up and down the joint moves under the finger, the clavicle end dipping as the shoulder rises.
On imaging
Plain films are hard to read; the serendipity view (beam tilted about 40° upward) compares both sides. CT is the study of choice, showing the direction of displacement and the structures behind the joint.
Clinical notes
- Posterior dislocation can cause hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, breathlessness or venous congestion of the arm; closed or open reduction is done with a thoracic surgeon available
- Septic arthritis of the SC joint is classically seen with injected drug use, diabetes or central venous lines
- Anterior dislocation is more common; it often stays unstable but usually causes little disability
Development
The medial clavicular epiphysis appears in the late teens and fuses in the early to mid-20s, the last growth plate in the body to close.
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Why is a posterior dislocation through the SC capsule dangerous?
The medial clavicle can press on the trachea, oesophagus and great vessels behind it; CT is needed.
Which part of the SC capsule is the main restraint of the medial clavicle?
The posterior part, against both forward and backward displacement.
In people under about 25, what is an apparent SC dislocation often?
A fracture through the medial clavicular growth plate.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Its names
- Official Latin (TA2)
- capsula articularis articulationis sternoclavicularis TA2 1536
- Official Spanish (DeCS)
- Cápsula articular de la articulación esternoclavicular
- English (TA2)
- Sternoclavicular joint capsule
Related
Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Sternoclavicular Joint.
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.
