floating rib

floating rib n. Any of the two lowest pairs of ribs with no anterior attachment to the sternum. Also called vertebral rib.

floating rib

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rib

any one of the paired, curved, cylindrical bones, extending from the thoracic vertebrae to the ventral aspect of the trunk, forming the major part of the thoracic skeleton, and consisting of a dorsal bony part and a ventral cartilaginous part that may or may not articulate with the sternum. Typically 13 pairs in the dog, cat and ruminants, 18 pairs in horses and 14 or 15 pairs in the pig. Called also costa. See Table 10.

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abdominal r's, asternal r's

a rib whose ventral end does not meet the sternum. See also false ribs (below).

cervical rib

a supernumerary rib arising from a cervical vertebra.

rib contractor

a strongly built device for pulling ribs together following retraction for surgical access to the thoracic cavity.

false r's

the caudal ribs, not attached directly to the sternum but are attached to each other's sternal cartilage to form the costal arch.

floating rib

a rib whose distal extremity is unattached to an adjacent rib or the sternum.

rib retractor

heavy duty surgical instrument for separating ribs to allow surgeon better access to thoracic contents. See finochietto rib spreader.

slipping rib

one whose attaching cartilage is repeatedly dislocated.

sternal rib

true ribs articulating with the sternum.

true r's

the ribs attached to both vertebrae and sternum.

vertebral r's

floating ribs.

vertebrocostal r's

the false ribs that contribute to the costal arch.

vertebrosternal r's

true ribs.