Anatomic study of the collateral blood supply of the sternum.

A microdissection study was carried out on ten injected, cleared human sternal specimens. Three types of vessel were identified that have the potential to carry blood to the sternum after mobilization of the internal thoracic artery (ITA): (1) branches of the ITA that supply both the sternum and the pectoralis major ("sternal/perforating branches"), (2) branches of the ITA that supply both the sternum and an adjoining intercostal space ("sternal/intercostal branches"), and (3) posterior intercostal arteries that do not anastomose with an ITA branch but continue past the ITA to reach the sternum. All three types of vessel were found more frequently in the proximal than in the distal half of the sternum. For sternal/perforating and sternal/intercostal vessels to function as collaterals after ITA bypass grafting, their short common trunks of origin must remain intact. The data support the recommendation that the branches of the ITA be ligated as close as possible to the ITA itself to preserve collateral blood flow to the sternum.