Imbambo yezimbambo (kusuka ku-Greek thôrax, isifuba) iyisakhiwo se-osteo-cartilaginous, esisezingeni lesifuba, elibamba iqhaza ikakhulukazi ekuvikeleni izitho ezibalulekile.

Ukwakheka kwezimbambo. Yakhiwe ngezinto ezahlukene (1) (2):

• Ithambo lesifuba eliyithambo elide, eliyisicaba elitholakala ngaphambili naphakathi.
• Umgogodla wethoracic, otholakala ngemuva, owakhiwe ngama-vertebrae ayishumi nambili, ngokwawo ahlukaniswe ama-intervertebral discs.
• Izimbambo, ezingamashumi amabili nane ngenani, ezingamathambo amade futhi agobile, zisuka ngemuva ziye ngaphambili ngobuso be-lateral.

Ukuma kwekheji lezimbambo. Izimbambo ziqala kusukela emgogodleni futhi zixhunywe ethanjeni lesifuba ngoqwanga olubizayo, ngaphandle kwezimbambo ezimbili zokugcina ezingezansi. Ezibizwa ngokuthi izimbambo ezintantayo, lezi azixhunywe ku-sternum (1) (2). Lezi zinhlaka zenza kube nokwenzeka ukunikeza isakhiwo ngendlela yekheji.

Izindawo zokuhlala e- Intercostal. Izikhala eziyishumi nanye ze-intercostal zihlukanisa izimbambo eziyishumi nambili ebusweni obusemaceleni. Lezi zikhala zakhiwe izicubu, imithambo, imithambo kanye nezinzwa (2).

I-Thoracic cavity. Iqukethe izitho ezahlukahlukene ezibalulekile kubandakanya inhliziyo namaphaphu (2). Isisekelo somgodi sivalwa yi-diaphragm.

Indima yokuvikela yezitho zangaphakathi. Ngenxa yokuma nokwakheka kwalo, ubambo luvikela izitho ezibalulekile njengenhliziyo namaphaphu, kanye nezitho ezithile zesisu (2).

Indima yokuhamba. Umthethosisekelo wayo oyingxenye ye-cartilaginous uyinikeza isakhiwo esivumelana nezimo esivumela ukuthi ilandele ukunyakaza komgogodla (2).

Indima ekuphefumuleni. Isakhiwo esiguquguqukayo sekheji, kanye namalunga ahlukene kunikeza ama-amplitudes amakhulu okunyakaza, ukubamba iqhaza kumishini yokuphefumula. Imisipha ehlukahlukene yokuphefumula nayo itholakala ezimbanjeni (2). 

Ukuhlukumezeka Thoracic. Ihambisana nokulimala kwesibaya se-thoracic ngenxa yokwethuka kwesifuba (3).

• Ukuphuka. Izimbambo, i-sternum kanye nomgogodla ungahlukana ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene.
• I-flap ye-thoracic. Ihambisana nengxenye yodonga lwesifuba oluhlukene futhi lulandela ukuphuka kwezimbambo ezimbalwa (4). Lokhu kuholela ezinkingeni zokuphefumula ezinokuphefumula okuyindida.

Ukukhubazeka kodonga lwesifuba. Phakathi kwalokhu kuguqulwa, sithola ukuthi odongeni lwe-thoracic lwangaphambili:

• Ithorax efaneli, edala ukuguquguquka okungenalutho, ngenxa yokuqagela ngemuva kwe-sternum (5).
• I-thorax iboshwe, idala ukukhubazeka ku-bump, ngenxa yokuhamba phambili kwe-sternum (5) (6).

I-Pneumothorax. Kushiwo ukugula okuthinta umgodi wokuncenga, isikhala esiphakathi kwamaphaphu nezimbambo. Kuboniswa ubuhlungu obukhulu besifuba, kwesinye isikhathi obuhambisana nobunzima bokuphefumula.

Izimila zodonga lwesifuba. Izimila eziyisisekelo noma zesibili zingakhula emathanjeni noma esicutshini esithambile (7) (8).

Izifo zethambo. I-rib cage ingaba indawo yokuthuthukiswa kwezifo zamathambo ezifana ne-osteoporosis noma i-ankylosing spondylitis.

Ukwelashwa kwezokwelapha. Ngokuya nge-trauma noma i-pathology, ama-analgesics kanye nezidakamizwa ezilwa nokuvuvukala zingase zibekwe.

Ukwelashwa ngokuhlinzwa. Ukuhlinzwa kungenziwa ngenxa yokukhubazeka kwezindonga zesifuba, ukuhlukumezeka kwesifuba, kanye nezimila (5) (7) (8).

Ukuhlolwa ngokomzimba. Ukuxilongwa kuqala ngokuhlolwa komzimba ukuhlola izimpawu nezimpawu zobuhlungu.

Ukuhlolwa kwezithombe zezokwelapha. Ngokuya nge-pathology esolwayo noma efakazelwe, ukuhlolwa okwengeziwe kungenziwa njenge-x-ray, i-ultrasound, i-CT scan, i-MRI noma i-scintigraphy (3).

Ukucindezelwa kwesifuba, okusetshenziswe namuhla njengenqubo yosizo lokuqala, kuchazwe okokuqala ezilwaneni ngo-18749 ngaphambi kokuboniswa kubantu ngo-1960 (10).