US Medical Term · anatomy
Sternum
Esternón
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Sternum |
| Spanish (Español) | Esternón |
| Chinese (中文) | 胸骨 |
| Korean (한국어) | 흉골 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Xương ức |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Sternum |
| Portuguese (Português) | Esterno |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | กระดูกหน้าอก |
| Japanese (日本語) | 胸骨 |
What it means
The sternum, commonly called the breastbone, is a long, flat bone in the center of the chest. It runs from just below the notch at the base of the throat down to the upper abdomen. The ribs attach to it on both sides through cartilage, forming the front of the rib cage that protects the heart and lungs. During cardiac surgery such as open-heart surgery or a coronary artery bypass, the surgeon must cut through the sternum — a procedure called a median sternotomy — to access the heart. After surgery the sternum is wired back together and takes several weeks to heal. Pain in the sternum can result from costochondritis — inflammation of the cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I have pain right in the middle of my chest over the sternum — could it be costochondritis?
Tengo dolor justo en el centro del pecho sobre el esternón. ¿Podría ser costocondritis?
After open-heart surgery they wired my sternum back together and I have to avoid lifting for six weeks.
Después de la cirugía a corazón abierto unieron mi esternón con alambre y tengo que evitar levantar peso por seis semanas.
I bumped my chest and now there is pain over my sternum when I breathe deeply.
Me golpeé el pecho y ahora me duele el esternón cuando respiro profundo.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026