170 



Joints of the Thorax. 



Ligamentum capituli costae interarticulare 



Costa X 



Ligamentum costotransversarium 

 anterius 





Fibrocartilago 

 intervertebralis 



Corpus 

 vertebrae X 



222. Tenth and eleventh ribs and corresponding 

 vertebral bodies with their ligaments, 



viewed from the right. 



(The most anterior layer has been sawed off from the heads of the ribs; the parts have been 

 somewhat separated from one another. The ligamentum longitudinale anterius has been removed.) 



The articulationes costovertebrales (articulations of the ribs with the 

 vertebrae) (see Fig. 225) are the moveable connections between the ribs and the thoracic 

 vertebrae. Each rib is articulated at two points; the capitulum costae moves in the 

 foveae costales of the bodies of the vertebrae (articulatio capituli) and at the same 

 time the tuberculum costae rotates in the fovea costalis transversalis (articulatio costo- 

 transversaria). Both together form mechanically one joint. 



In the articulationes capitulorum (articulations between the heads of 

 the ribs and the vertebrae) (see also Figs. 212, 223 and 225) each capitulum costae 

 lies with its facies articularis in the corresponding foveae costales of the vertebral bodies, 

 so that, for example, the capitulum of the sixth rib rests in the fovea costalis inferior 

 of the fifth thoracic vertebra, in the fovea costalis superior of the sixth thoracic vertebra 

 and in a depression in the intervertebral disc lying between the two. On the second 

 to the tenth rib. a ligamentum capituli costae interarticulare (0. T. interarticular 

 ligament) extends from each crista capituli to the fibrocartilago intervertebralis, and 

 usually separates tw r o special joint cavities, with their capsulae articular es from one 

 another. The first rib is usually, the eleventh and twelfth ribs are occasionally, united 

 each with one vertebral body only and accordingly possess also only one capsula arti- 

 cularis each. 



