Corpus: Rib cartilage

The costal cartilage connects the bony body (corpus costae) of the ribs with the breastbone (sternum) and thus forms the ventral or medial end of the ribs.

Costal cartilage is systematically named according to the following scheme: Cartilago costalis sinister/dexter plus Roman numeral of the reference rib. An example is "Cartilago costalis sinister IV".

Of the 12 pairs of ribs, the first 7 are directly connected to the sternum via their cartilage and are therefore also called "true ribs" (costae verae). From the 8th to the 10th rib, the sternum is only reached indirectly by the cartilage attaching to the higher rib. They are therefore also known as "false ribs" ("costae spuriae"). These form the so-called costal arch (arcus costalis) with the relatively steep cartilage of the 7th rib, which extends upwards towards the sternum.

The articulationes costochondrales are found between the rib bones and the rib cartilage, and the articulationes sternocostales between the rib cartilage and the sternum. Some authors categorise these joints as synchondroses, others as "true" synovial joints.

From the 4th to the 10th rib, the cartilage is significantly longer than in the other ribs. The cartilages of the 6th to 10th ribs are also connected to each other via the so-called articulationes interchondrales.

The rib cartilage consists of an elastic and pressure-resistant cartilage tissue that is histologically hyaline cartilage.

The rib cartilage is primarily responsible for the elasticity of the rib cage (thorax).

Rib cartilage is used in reconstructive surgery as a transplant or to obtain cartilage cells.

Chondropathy of the rib cartilage is found in Tietze syndrome.