The rare “os cordis” might develop as a reaction to heart problems, according to the case study.(Image credit: SCIEPRO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY viaGetty Images)
- Copy link
- X
Share this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterLive ScienceGet the Live Science Newsletter
Receive the planet’s most intriguing discoveries delivered right to your inbox.
Become a Subscriber in Moments
Gain immediate access to exclusive member benefits.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Your subscription is now active
Your newsletter registration was a success
Wish to subscribe to more newsletters?
Delivered DailyDaily Newsletter
Sign up to receive the newest discoveries, innovative studies and captivating breakthroughs that affect you and the world at large directly to your inbox.
Signup +
Once a weekLife’s Little Mysteries
Satisfy your inquisitiveness with a singular puzzle each week, deciphered with science and sent directly to your inbox prior to it being seen anywhere else.
Signup +
Once a weekHow It Works
Subscribe to our complimentary science & technology digest for your recurring dosage of compelling content, brief assessments, striking visuals, and much more
Signup +
Delivered dailySpace.com Newsletter
Up-to-the-minute space news, the most recent information on rocket launches, stargazing occasions and more!
Signup +
Once a monthWatch This Space
Subscribe to our monthly entertainment email to stay informed about all our reporting of the newest science fiction and space-related films, TV series, games and literature.
Signup +
Once a weekNight Sky This Week
Uncover the must-see celestial occurrences, lunar phases, and breathtaking astrophotos of the week. Subscribe to our stargazing email and delve into the cosmos with us!
Signup +Join the club
Gain complete access to premium articles, exclusive content and a growing selection of member perks.
Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in.Subscribe to our newsletter
The departed: A 39-year-old male in the United States
The post-mortem examination findings: Medical professionals assessed the man following a fatal altercation, where a stab wound had perforated a vessel inside his lungs. They observed that the individual’s heart was somewhat enlarged and that he exhibited moderate atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) within a pair of vessels. CAD arises from the accumulation of plaque along the arterial walls leading to the heart.
You may like
-
‘I had never seen a skull like this before’: Medieval Spanish knight who died in battle had a rare genetic condition, study finds
-
Tooth-in-eye surgery, ‘blood chimerism,’ and a pregnancy from oral sex: 12 wild medical cases we covered in 2025
-
A man’s muscles looked strangely deformed. Doctors found they were leaking calcium into his blood.
They recognized this structure as the os cordis — a “cardiac bone” infrequently, if ever, spotted in humans.
What renders the case exceptional: The os cordis has historically been detected in nonhuman mammals, notably ruminants like cattle and camels. Within animals, it is thought to bolster the cardiac valves responsible for governing the circulation of blood inside the heart.
The formation had only recently been documented among primates, in a study issued during 2020, a mere five years prior to the described case study. In that 2020 report, researchers examined 16 hearts from chimpanzees and determined that three contained an os cordis. These three chimps equally displayed scarring of the heart tissue, which led the scientists to propose that the growth of the osseous structure might have been connected to such damage within the tissues.
Also in 2020, a corresponding structure was characterized in seven humans by Dr. Jorge Trainini, a cardiac specialist and educator at the National University of Avellaneda situated in Argentina. He along with his collaborators designated their discovery the “cardiac fulcrum,” underscoring its intended function when it comes to the stabilization of the heart muscles as they contract facing the pressure exerted by gravity.
They stated that, unlike the os cordis they observed within cow hearts, the adult human fulcrum consisted of cartilage and tendon, instead of bone. Nevertheless, within the team’s specific investigation, they discovered that a heart deriving from a 10-year-old did in fact possess bone tissue, additionally they suggested that the formation might relinquish its osseous characteristic as time passes. (The 10-year-old was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, in other words an ailment affecting the heart muscle, and had undergone a heart transplant. The osseous tissue had been detected within the explanted heart.)
Trainini revealed to Live Science through an interview that the os cordis and also the cardiac fulcrum are synonymous structures. However, the authors of the case report were not in agreement. They noted Trainini’s prior discoveries; however, they insisted that the construction that they located inside the 39-year-old male was distinct since it was composed of bone.
OTHER DILEMMAS
—A knife snapped off in a man’s chest, and he remained unaware for a duration of 8 years
—A man’s penis was transforming into bone
—A rare genetic disorder caused a woman’s heart to turn black
Nonetheless, the authors of the case report arrive at a parallel conclusion to Trainini, stating that such a formation might be more commonplace among humans than is presently acknowledged. They proposed that, on account of their having discovered the os cordis throughout a dissection of the heart tissue that was unusual for an autopsy, the trait may characteristically proceed without recognition.
Tranini proceeded as far as to contend that all humans plausibly possess a cardiac fulcrum depending on his consequent analyses of close to 100 human hearts.
Although the authors of the case report remained ignorant of the man’s comprehensive medical background, they observed that the emergence of an os cordis could quite possibly be linked to his apparent cardiac ailment. It is recognized that aging and illness could also sway this formation within other animals, they incorporated.
For more appealing medical cases, peruse our Diagnostic Dilemma collection.
TOPICSDiagnostic dilemma
Lauren SchneiderLive Science Contributor
Lauren Schneider serves as a health and science journalist currently undergoing a master’s degree from the Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program located at New York University. Prior to transitioning into a writer, she received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience originating from The University of Texas at Austin. During her free moments, you can encounter Lauren viewing films, swimming laps, revising Wikipedia, or allocating time to Lucy, her unbelievably lovely black feline.
View More
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
LogoutRead more
‘I had never seen a skull like this before’: Medieval Spanish knight who died in battle had a rare genetic condition, study finds
Tooth-in-eye surgery, ‘blood chimerism,’ and a pregnancy from oral sex: 12 wild medical cases we covered in 2025
A man’s muscles looked strangely deformed. Doctors found they were leaking calcium into his blood.
Unusual, 1,400-year-old cube-shaped human skull unearthed in Mexico
Men develop cardiovascular disease 7 years before women
Stone Age teenager was mauled by a bear 28,000 years ago, skeletal analysis confirms
Latest in Heart & Circulation