Sick H, Koritke J G
Arch Anat Histol Embryol. 1976;59:151-64.
A study of 200 human thoracic anterior walls (150 of adults and 50 of children) allows to distinguish 3 types of articulations at the internal extremity of the 7th costal cartilage: a lateral sterno-costal articulation, a prexiphoïdian sterno-costal articulation and an articulation between the two 7th costal cartilages. Each type may or may not have an articulating space. The only diarthrodial articulating spaces are found at the level of the articulation between the two 7th costal cartilages. All the other articulations may be considered as symphyses which, with age, may present a non-synovial space. The different types of articulations vary with age, the 7th cartilages being closer together in the child than in the adult. In the child there is a characteristic vascular network between the sternum and the 7th costal cartilages.
一项对200例人类胸廓前壁（150例成人和50例儿童）的研究发现，在第7肋软骨内端可区分出3种关节类型：外侧胸肋关节、剑突前胸肋关节以及两侧第7肋软骨之间的关节。每种类型可能有也可能没有关节间隙。仅在两侧第7肋软骨之间的关节水平发现有动关节间隙。所有其他关节可视为耻骨联合，随着年龄增长，可能会出现非滑膜间隙。不同类型的关节随年龄而变化，儿童的第7肋软骨比成人的靠得更近。儿童的胸骨与第7肋软骨之间存在特征性的血管网络。
