Rib Removal

Q: Dr. Eppley, i come from Europe but would love to be your patient. I have a question about rib removal. Is it possible to remove all of the so called fake ribs? I can conclude that it is very extreme but wearing a corset would make up fort them missing since I don’t work out or lift heavy stuff. Thank you so much in advance.

A: When you use the term ‘fake ribs’, I assume you mean the unattached or free floating ribs which are traditionally #s 11 and 12. In some patients this can also include rib #10 which may not connect to the subcostal ribs. These are ribs that I remove all the time for horizontal waistline reduction. Their removal works for waistline narrowing because of their surprisingly vertical orientation. Rib removal is not extreme surgery in terms of being dangerous or exposing the patient to undue risks. Nor does the patient have to wear a corset afterwards for protection. Some women do wear a corset after rib removal but this is because they are trying to maximize their waistline narrowing. This is a common procedure in my practice that has no adverse medical sequelae other than the small back scars.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana