Bifid rib with fused vertebrae - A rare abnormality of the skeletal system: A case report

Mirzaei, Soheil; Moslemi, Sare; Shafeghat, Faride; Karimi, Sana; Eftekharzadeh, Mina

INTRODUCTION: Bifid rib as pathoanatomical findings on chest X-ray is a skeletal disorder. It is usually unilateral and commonly found in males. Bifid ribs commonly happen in absence of structural defects of the vertebrae. PRESENTATION OF CASE: The case of this report is a 65-year-old with severe infection of Covid 19. He was admitted to the ICU. Imaging findings indicate existence of a bifid rib with vertebral fusion. DISCUSSION: Bifurcated ribs usually have been described without vertebral defects. In our case, there is a bifurcated rib with fused vertebrae. These defects are also defined in the criteria of Gorlin syndrome. CONCLUSION: Unlike other rib abnormalities, the bifid rib occurs mainly in the absence of a vertebral defect, but this study reports a bifid rib with vertebral defects.