THE POSTERIOR THORACIC WALL 



THE POSTERIOR THORACIC WALL. 



Costo-Vertebral Joints. The vertebral end of each typical 

 rib (second-ninth) articulates with the vertebral column by 

 two separate joints. The head of the rib articulates with the 

 upper part of the body of the vertebra to which it corresponds 

 numerically, with the lower part of the vertebra above, and 



Body of vertebra 



Posterior costo-transverse ligament 



FIG. 153. Transverse Section through a Typical Costo-Vertebral 

 Articulation. 



Light blue = articular cartilage. 

 Striped blue ligaments. 



Green = periosteum. 



Red = synovial membrane. 



with the fibro-cartilage between them. The tubercle of the rib 

 articulates with the transverse process of the vertebra to which 

 it corresponds numerically, and this joint is strengthened by a 

 strong ligament (the ligamentum colli costce inter costo-transverse) 

 which connects the posterior aspect of the neck of the rib to the 

 anterior aspect of the transverse process (Fig. 153). 



Surgical Approach to the Posterior Mediastinum. 

 Tuberculous disease or abscess affecting the thoracic vertebrae 



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