Supernumerary ribs

Last revised by Domenico Nicoletti on 16 Oct 2024

Supernumerary ribs occur most commonly as a cervical rib arising from C7 or a lumbar rib arising from L1. In extremely rare situations, there can be sacral, coccygeal, intrathoracic, or aberrant lumbar ribs 3. Rarely supernumerary ribs (cervical and lumbar ribs aside) have been found as 'normal' anatomic variants, without evidence of any clinical sequelae.

Epidemiology

Associations

Supernumerary ribs have been used as a marker for developmental toxicity bioassays in test animals 2.

Cases and figures

  • Case 1: 13 pairs of ribs and absent radius
  • Case 2: 14 pairs of ribs
  • Osteochondroma of the rib
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