The intercostal space.

This article supplies a comprehensive account of the anatomy and physiology of the intercostal space, the knowledge of which is important for thoracic surgeons. A wide variety of clinical applications involve the intercostal space, ranging from simple inspection of a widened space in the emphysematous patient, to thoracentesis, to the surgical preparation of an intercostal musculopleural flap. Each of these procedures, from the simplest to the most complex, can be easier and safer if the intercostal anatomy is thoroughly understood. Because postthoracotomy pain control is one of the major issues in modern thoracic surgery, the precise knowledge of the relationships between the neuromuscular and osseous components within the intercostal space may help reduce pain and improve chest wall motility.