Rib removal is done for a variety of waistline concerns. Such concerns must be divided into anterior and posterior aesthetic waistline issues. The most common perception of the aesthetic benefits of ribs being removed is for horizontal waistline reduction where ribs #10, 11 and 12 may be reduced through a posterior or back approach. `This allows the sides of the waist to fall in at the level of the belly button, contributing to more of an hourglass figure.
But other forms of aesthetic ribcage modification exist. Vertical waist shortness can be caused by a short length between the subcostal rib margins and the hips. The subcostal ribs, made up of the cartilaginous portions of ribs #7,8 and 9, create the downward slope of the ribcage out to the sides. With a low or prominent subcostal rib margin the waistline can be seen as vertically short. In some cases it is not that the subcostal margin is too low but that it may stick out prominentl either on one side or both.
The subcostal ribs are cartilaginous, thus they are softer than bone and can be effectively reduced by either shaving or complete removal of their prominences. While this can be done through a relatively small skin incision over them, it is also possible to remove them at the same time as as tummy tuck. The tummy tuck has to be of a full variety, but the subcostal rib margins can be accessed by splitting the rectus fascia and muscle from below. (the same anatomic dissection one has to do from the external skin incision)
From this approach ribs #7 and 8 can be separated from their sternal locations and taken back to the bony junction at the sides of the chest wall. Along the way the cartilaginous portions of ribs #9 and 10 can be removed as well.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana