Description
The neck of fifth rib is the short section that extends from the head to the shaft. It is located medial to the tubercle and anterior to the transverse process of fifth thoracic vertebra. The neck of fifth is somewhat flattened in appearance, where it has external and internal surfaces, and superior and inferior borders. Its superior border is sharp and is known as the crest, while its inferior border is blunt and round. It provides attachment sites for the internal intercostal membrane and the costotransverse ligament. Overall, only the first to tenth ribs have a neck, while the eleventh and twelfth ribs lack this bony feature.