Is Rib Removal Surgery Safe? – Overview
As humans, we all have 24 ribs (12 pairs), yet some of us have 26 ribs at birth (13 pairs). To safeguard our hearts, lungs, and other internal organs, ribs are mostly used. Not every rib in the body is thought to be necessary, though.
There are 7 sets of real ribs in the body (connected to the sternum and breastbone), 5 sets of false ribs (attached to cartilaginous tissue), and 2 sets of floating ribs (false ribs) that are not attached to any tissue in front.
Floating ribs are frequently removed during plastic surgery procedures to provide patients with a smaller waist.
In recent years, rib removal, often referred to as rib resection or floating rib removal, has become more common. Wasp waists and hourglass bodies are once more the ideals.
The “floating” lower ribs, numbers 11 and 12, can be removed surgically to accomplish the same result that laced corsets did in Victorian fashion.
Removing ribs entails removing the lower ribs that surround the upper abdomen.
Significantly smaller waists can be safely produced by adding liposuction to the lower waist and love handles in the hands of skilled practitioners.
Why People are Looking for Rib Removal?
People who have iliocostalis syndrome, where friction from the lower ribs irritates the soft tissue of the iliac crest, or rib asymmetry, may benefit from having their ribs removed.
Other medical reasons people seek out surgery include cancer, trauma, and thoracic outlet syndrome (a condition that arises when blood vessels or nerves are crushed).
For use in a bone transplant during reconstructive surgery, rib bone fragments may occasionally be removed.
Some people choose rib removal surgery to reduce their waistlines. A more traditionally feminine silhouette can be achieved with rib removal surgery, especially for transgender women.
For full body sculpting in these cases, rib removal is occasionally combined with a stomach tuck, Brazilian butt lift, and/or breast augmentation.
The Surgical Procedure for Rib Removal
Techniques and procedures used during rib removal surgery rely on your surgeon’s preferences, your anatomy, and whether the procedure is being done for medical or cosmetic purposes.
General anesthesia will always be used during the procedure, and there will be an overnight hospital stay and a several-week at-home recuperation period afterward.
Because they don’t connect to the sternum (or breastbone) in the same manner that the first ribs do, the bottom ribs (the 11th and 12th ribs) are sometimes referred to as the floating ribs.
You can observe that these bottom ribs do not at all join to the front of the ribcage when looking at an x-ray of your upper body.
Because of this, it is safer for a skilled, board-certified surgeon to remove these bottom ribs than it would be to remove ribs higher up on the ribcage.
A surgeon can cut and remove the ribs through an incision made above the clavicle or under the arm, then cover the wound with sutures or surgical adhesive, according to NYU Langone Hospital.
This cosmetic surgery involves making tiny incisions on both sides of the spine, cutting the rib where it attaches to the back of the ribcage, and then carefully working the removed rib out through the incisions when it is performed for body modification purposes and there is a strong desire to avoid scarring.
However, this procedure is avoided by so many plastic surgeons because of the increased danger of perforating the thorax and internal organs (such as the lung).
Is Rib Removal a Safe Surgery?
Rib removal surgery can be performed safely, but how safe it is depends on your surgeon’s expertise and experience.
Your organs could be damaged, including the possibility of a collapsed lung. It entails the same risks of infection, seroma, and hematoma as any surgical operation.
The opinions of doctors differ when the issue of safety takes place. Doctors say; The surgery “is safe if performed by a certified plastic surgeon. They cannot advise rib removal surgery as a cosmetic operation due to the “severe hazards” associated with it.
Additionally, he asserts that the majority of patients who get in touch with him concerning rib removal surgery suffer from body dysmorphia, an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) subtype.
Is Rib Removal Surgery Expensive?
Depending on your surgeon’s level of experience, where they practice, and if the plastic surgery is just aesthetic, prices might vary greatly.
In the US one pair of ribs removal (bottom ribs) rib removal surgery costs about 25,000$. Your insurance plan might pay a percentage of the cost if it’s being done to treat a recognized medical condition.
References
https://www.realself.com/surgical/rib-removal
See Also
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Dr.Sharif Samir Alijla, is a general medical doctor and a well-rounded professional that cares and treats patients from Palestine. I participated in many medical studies and conferences, I've launched a range of community initiatives and taken part in a variety of leadership and change training programs. I worked as an author for many medical websites such as TebFact . I specialized in writing medical articles from authoritative and updated sources in a simple and smooth the way for the reader.
