Supernumerary ribs

Supernumerary ribs are additional ribs that occur beyond the usual 12 pairs of ribs in humans. These extra ribs can be classified based on their location as either cervical ribs (arising from the cervical vertebrae) or lumbar ribs (arising from the lumbar vertebrae).

• Cervical ribs are congenital supernumerary ribs arising from the seventh cervical vertebra, which can lead to thoracic outlet syndrome and require surgical intervention if symptomatic.

• Lumbar ribs (Lumbar accessory ribs) are an anatomical variation where an extra rudimentary rib is present in the lumbar region, typically arising from the first lumbar vertebra.