It is a congenital overgrowth of bone that develops abnormally from birth.
This article will go over cervical rib anatomy.
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Cervical Rib Anatomy
The rib cage has 12 sets of ribs.
The cervical ribs are actually extra ribs.
The cervical ribs are located at the top of the rib cage.
They extend out from the cervical spine of the neck that sits above the first rib.
Cervical Rib Function
There is no distinct physiological function of a cervical rib.
It is an abnormal overdevelopment of the transverse process of a cervical vertebra.
The transverse processes of the vertebrae in the spine are connected to each other via the intertransverse ligament.
Each nerve root corresponds to a vertebra of the spine.
The thoracic nerve roots exit below each corresponding vertebra in the thoracic spine.
You will then be asked to extend your neck back and rotate your head toward the arm being tested.
A positive test will reveal a significantly diminished or absent radial pulse in the wrist with this position.
Cervical Rib Treatment
Oftentimes, a cervical rib presents without symptoms and goes unnoticed unlessX-raysare taken.
Summary
Cervical ribs are located at the top of your rib cage.
They are actually extra ribs that are present at birth.
About 0.5-1.0% of the population has cervical ribs.
Sometimes, the extra ribs can contribute to conditions that cause pain.
If this happens, the cervical ribs might need to be removed.
If a cervical rib is causing pain and other problems, there are ways to manage it without surgery.
However, in some cases, removing the ribs might be the best option.
Fliegel, BE, Menezes, RG.Anatomy, thorax, cervical rib.
Chapter 2: Back; Chapter 8: Head and Neck.
In Hansen JT, ed.
Saunders/Elsevier; 2014:66;484.
