Costillas Cervicales Accesorias:  Reporte de un Caso

Cervical ribs, also known as "accessory ribs" or "supernumerary ribs in the cervical region," are the congenital excessive development of the transverse processes, especially of the seventh cervical vertebra. They occur in approximately 0.5% of the population, are usually bilateral, although often asymmetrical, and are more common in women. The most common cervical rib is type III, followed by type I according to Gruber's classification. They are usually asymptomatic but can cause discomfort in the functioning of the brachial plexus roots or the subclavian artery/vein. This occurs when the most anterior portion of the transverse process exceeds the anterior border of the middle scalene muscle, which can cause superior thoracic outlet syndrome. Therefore, their presence must be documented in the written report. They are diagnosed incidentally on a chest or cervical spine x-ray.