History: 10 year old female with neck pain.
This is an example of cervical ribs, which are seen in less than 1% of the population. Cervical ribs are on the differential diagnosis for neck pain, and can be a cause of thoracic outlet syndrome. The thoracic outlet contains multiple spaces including the subcoracoid tunnel, costoclavicular space, and interscalene triangle. Compression of neurovascular structures in these spaces by cervical ribs causes thoracic outlet syndrome. Thoracic outlet syndrome can be classified as neurological in which compression of the brachial plexus causes symptoms, or vascular in which compression of the subclavian vessels causes symptoms.
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