ANATOMICAL VARIATION HUMAN THORACIC RIB IN DRY BONE

Introduction:The ribs are essential structure of osseous thorax and provide information that aids in the interpretation of radiologic images. The purpose of this study to investigate variations in thoracic rib and its morphological & clinical importance. So, In present study attempted to find out additional intercostal spaces due to bifurcation of ribs, less intercostal space due to fusion of ribs, variation of the normal ribs like, gap in the rib, fusion of one rib to another at a shaft of rib. Congenital abnormalities of the ribs are usually asymptomatic, often discovered incidentally on chest X-ray. Effects of this neuroskeletal anomaly can include respiratory difficulties and neurological limitations. Materials & Methods: The study was carried out in Bone Store of Department of Anatomy, B.J.Medical College, Ahmedabad, and Zydus Medical College, Dahod, Gujarat. Study was carried out on 500 human dried ribs and the variations in the ribs are studied. We got variation in the human ribs and studied. Result: Variations were seen like out of 500 ribs, Bifid rib having two ends 9 (1.8%), rib having bifid space in 2(0.4%), Fusion rib at the level of shaft in 1(0.2%), fusion of first rib and second rib in 1(0.2%), and first rib having two ends in 1(0.2%) rib. (Table 1) Conclusion: Bifid rib is an anatomical variant where the sternal end of the rib is cleaved into two. So we can rule out mesoderm abnormalities, parenchyma lung disease, chest wall tumor or costal fracture.