الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Costochondral junctions have been commonly used as a source of graft material used in reconstructive maxillofacial surgery.
Owing to their abundance, accessibility and physical properties, they are preferred over other sources of the graft material with less complications at the donor site and excellent outcome at the recipient site The aim of this work was to study and describe the anatomy of the 8th and 9th costochondral junctions and their relation to the surrounding anatomical landmarks by cadaveric dissection and computed tomography.
The first part of the study was an anatomical (cadaveric) study where 12 preserved human cadavers (7 males and 5 females) with their thoraces being dissected on both sides were used. Dissection was performed layer by layer anatomical surroundings and variations were identified and recorded.
50 retrospective CT chest radiographs of 50 patients (25 males and 25 females) were used in the second part of the study. The results were compared to that of the cadaveric study.
In each individual, the chest type was determined and the projection of both the 8th and 9th costochondral junctions to the spine was identified. Then measurements were recorded on body surface in both cadaveric and CT studies to determine an accurate localization of both 8th and 9th costochondral junctions on the anterolateral chest wall in relation to the spine.
The results of the present study could be summarized as follows:
• The 8th and 9th ribs were found to be ideal for harvesting the CCG either a split thickness or a complete graft without considerable complications. Extra-perichondral harvest of the graft has the benefit of safeguarding the underlying neurovascular bundle and the pleura