A costotransverse ligament is a short fibrous band that connects a

rib In vertebrate anatomy, ribs ( la, costae) are the long curved bones which form the rib cage, part of the axial skeleton. In most tetrapods, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the ches ...

with the

transverse process The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic i ...

vertebra The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic ...

. They are some of the

ligament A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the: * Peritoneal li ...

s that surround the costovertebral joint.

Types

There are three types of costotransverse ligaments in the human body: costo-transverse ligament (connects the posterior surface of the neck of the rib with the transverse process of the corresponding vertebrae);

lateral costotransverse ligament The lateral costotransverse ligament is a short, thick, though ligament of the costotransverse joint which strengthens the joint posteriorly. It connects (the rough, non-articular portion of) the tubercle of a rib, and the transverse process of t ...

(connects the non-articular part of the rib with the tip of transverse process); and

superior costotransverse ligament A superior costotransverse ligament is a strong fibrous band that arises from the neck of a rib to the transverse process of the vertebra The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to ha ...

(connects the upper border of the neck of the rib to the inferior border of the transverse process of the vertebrae above). In addition, some sources also list the inferior costotransverse ligament, and the posterior costotransverse ligament in this grouping.

Functions

* Support and prevent dislocation of ribs and limit the

costotransverse joint The costotransverse joint is the joint formed between the facet of the tubercle of the rib and the adjacent transverse process of a thoracic vertebra. The costotransverse joint is a plane type of synovial joint which, under physiological conditio ...

to perform a gliding movement. * Their posterior surfaces provide attachment points for the extensor muscles (deep group) of the back. Thorax (human anatomy) Ligaments {{ligament-stub