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Sternal recession

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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Recession is a clinical sign of respiratory distress which occurs as increasingly negative intrathoracic pressures cause indrawing of part of the chest. Note that it is also a function of the rigidity of the chest wall; thus, although sternal recession is a sign of severe respiratory distress in young children or neonates, it would not occur in adults because the structures are much more bony.


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