rib cage

Examples of rib cage in the following topics:

• Thoracic Cage: Ribs

  • Ribs are long curved bones which form the rib cage surrounding the thorax.
  • The thoracic cage can expand and contract facilitating breathing in association with the diaphragm and also protects the lungs, heart and other organs of the thoracic cavity.
  • Finally, the shaft forms the majority of the length of the rib as it curves around the thoracic cavity forming the rib-cage.
  • Rib 1 is the shortest and most curved of the ribs.
  • Descending from rib 1 the ribs increase in size up until rib 7 before decreasing in length again.

• Overview of the Axial Skeleton

  • It is composed of: the human skull, the ossicles of the middle ear, the hyoid bone of the throat, the rib cage (including the sternum), and the vertebral column.
  • The human rib cage, also known as the thoracic cage, is a bony and cartilaginous structure which surrounds the thoracic cavity and supports the pectoral girdle, forming a core portion of the human skeleton.
  • A typical human rib cage consists of 24 ribs, the sternum, costal cartilages, and the 12 thoracic vertebrae .

• Thoracic Cage: Sternum

  • The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bony plate connected to the rib bones via cartilage, forming the anterior section of the rib cage.
  • Together with the anterior ribs it helps to protect the heart and lungs from damage facilitates expansion and contraction of the thoracic cavity during respiration.
  • The manubrium is the most superior region of the sternum and articulates with the clavicles or collarbones and the first pair of ribs.
  • Located below the manubrium the gladiolus is the longest portion of the sternum and articulates with ribs either directly, or indirectly through the costal cartialage
  • Explain the structure and function of the sternum in the thoracic cage

• Rib Fracture, Dislocation, and Separation

  • Joint dislocations and rib cage fractures are painful but treatable injuries involving the axial skeleton.
  • A rib fracture is a break or fracture in one or more of the bones making up the rib cage.
  • Fractures of the first and second ribs may be more likely to be associated with head and facial injuries than are other rib fractures.
  • The middle ribs are the ones most commonly fractured.
  • Rib fractures are usually quite painful because the ribs have to move to allow for breathing.

• Aging and the Respiratory System

  • Expiration follows relaxation of diaphragm and abdominal muscles, but can be increased by the downward action of abdominal muscles on the rib cage.
  • Intercostal muscles (which are auxiliary) stiffen and shape the rib cage.

• Anterior Muscles

  • All intercostal muscles originate on the lower border of a rib and attach to the upper border of the rib below.
  • Diaphragm - The diaphragm is a large, flat, sheet-like muscle that extends horizontally underneath the rib cage.
  • Functionally, the diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity - containing the lungs and heart, enclosed by the rib cage - from the abdominal cavity, which contains the digestive organs.
  • Attaches to the lower ribs and forms an aponeurosis in towards the midline and linea alba.
  • The intercostals are muscles between the ribs that form the chest cavity wall.

• Gross Anatomy

  • These bones are expanded into broad, flat plates, as in the cranium (skull), ilium (pelvis), sternum, rib cage, sacrum, and scapula.

• Divisions of the Skeletal System: Axial and Appendicular

  • It is composed of the human skull, the ossicles of the middle ear, the hyoid bone of the throat, the rib cage, and the vertebral column .

• Rhinoplasty

  • The autologous grafts usually are harvested from the nasal septum, but, if it has insufficient cartilage (as can occur in a revision rhinoplasty), then either a costal cartilage graft (from the rib cage) or an auricular cartilage graft (concha from the ear) is harvested from the patient's body.
  • When the rhinoplasty requires a bone graft, it is harvested from either the cranium, the hips, or the rib cage.

• Anatomy of the Heart

  • The heart is located in the thoracic cavity between the lungs and protected by the rib cage.