The costotransverse joint is the joint formed between the facet of the tubercle of the rib and the adjacent transverse process of a thoracic vertebra. The costotransverse joint is a plane type of synovial joint which, under physiological conditions, allows only gliding movement.[citation needed]
This costotransverse joint is present in all but the eleventh and twelfth ribs. The first ten ribs have two joints in close proximity posteriorly; the costovertebral joints and the costotransverse joints. This arrangement restrains the motion of the ribs allowing them to work in a parallel fashion during breathing. If a typical rib had only one joint posteriorly the resultant swivel action would allow a rib to be non-parallel with respect to the neighboring ribs making for a very inefficient breathing.[citation needed]
Anatomy
Ligaments
The ligaments of the joint are:
- Costotransverse ligament[1]
- Lateral costotransverse ligament[1]
- (Anterior and posterior) superior costotransverse ligament[1]
- Accessory ligament - typically present. It is medial to the superior costotransverse ligament, with the dorsal ramus of a thoracic spinal nerve and associated vessels intervening between the two. Its attachments are variable.[2]
The ligaments limit the movements of the joint to slight gliding.[1]
Innervation
The intercostal nerves innervate the costotransverse joints. Therefore, therapeutic medial branch blocks are ineffectual.[citation needed]
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 300 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- ^ a b c d Moore, Keith L.; Dalley, Arthur F.; Agur, Anne M. R. (2018). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (8th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. p. 298. ISBN 978-1-4963-4721-3.
- ^ Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42th ed.). New York. p. 581. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.
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