Winged ribs: when the issue is forward projection
Not every rib consultation is about the waist. Some people have ribs projecting forward — known as «winged ribs» — which changes the profile of the torso. This work describes a treatment by percutaneous chondroplasty, called FrontXribs, evaluated in 32 patients.
What winged ribs are
The thorax can have excessive anterior projection: the ribs stand out further forward than usual. It is not a matter of fat or muscle, but of the position of bone and cartilage.
That is why liposuction does not solve it: there is nothing to aspirate. The approach described here works on the cartilage, percutaneously.
How it was measured
Thirty-two female patients operated between February and March 2023, mean age 25. Two angular measurements and one length measurement were taken before surgery and at 6 months:
- Angle 1: formed by lines tangential to the shoulder and the lower gluteal border
- Angle 2: formed by a line tangential to the greatest anterior projection, intersected by a vertical on the standing axis
- Length: tape measure at the point of greatest thoracic projection
Pulmonary function studies were also performed. Mean operative time was 51.1 minutes, under general anaesthesia in all cases.
The results
| Measurement | Mean change at 6 months |
|---|---|
| Angle 1 | +26.1 degrees |
| Angle 2 | +3.43 degrees |
| Anterior chest length | −9.66 cm |
The authors conclude that the FrontXribs technique effectively reduces anterior costal protrusion.
This is 32 patients with 6-month follow-up and no comparison group. It describes the procedure and its early results; it does not establish long-term complication rates.
Two authors, led by the technique's creator. This is not an independent study.